Unknown Depths Part 2
by tvgal97
Summary: Follows the story Unknown Depths Part 1. How will Amanda's family react after learning of her secret life?
1. Chapter 1

Hello All!

Well, after a crazy-busy work life coupled with a nasty bout of writer's block, here's the follow up to my very first fanfic, Unknown Depths. Please read and review, or drop me a line. Like everyone, I love getting feedback (good or constructive).

The characters in Scarecrow and Mrs. King aren't mine, they belong to Warner Bros. Television and Shoot the Moon Productions. No copyright infringement intended. Characters in the story who don't appear in the series belong to me. Etc, etc, etc.

This tale starts two weeks before the end of my previous story.

**12:32PM SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1987 **

Brent Andrews passed a folder across his boss' desk. "She's a perfect candidate for the Bryton Lyon Brotherhood. She's beautiful and refined. Fantastic upbrining. She's known to pull disappearing acts. In fact, it happens so often that no one looks for her for at least a week. Even if her family finds out she's joined the Brotherhood, they'll just think it's one of her whims."

Caleb Bryton opened the folder and reviewed the contents. "Cindy Brown," he said aloud. He read a moment more, then looked up at his second in command. "Her father's high profile concerns me. She's recognizable."

"We've been monitoring her for months," Brent replied. "Cindy Brown is a spoiled brat. Her mother died when Cindy was only four. Senator Brown indulges his daughter with whatever she wants, and this includes her penchant for disappearing. I'm telling you, she's perfect. We already have a buyer, and at a premium. All we need to do is de-program her, and she's ready to go. We can keep her under wraps until then."

Caleb considered this information. "We'll have to deviate from our normal procedure. We won't be able to send her out in public to test her mental state."

Brent smiled. "With enough drugs, we can easily simulate those scenarios."

Caleb frowned and rolled his eyes. "You and your drugs. I hate them. A natural de-programming is so much more effective."

Brent smirked. "And it takes longer. That approach worked when you founded the brotherhood back in the 60's. Technology is different today. We need the money, Caleb. Sooner rather than later. Cindy Brown is perfect."

"When can you get her?"

"Tonight," Brent replied. "She's attending a party hosted by a good friend of hers. The party is in Baltimore instead of DC. She won't know many people. It will be easy to slip her a sedative, and then get her out of the party unnoticed. It's the perfect opportunity to acquire her."

Caleb sighed. "Very well. Make the contact. We'll have everything ready for her arrival."

**10:50PM MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1987 (TWO WEEKS LATER)**

Amanda King had gathered up her belongings from her desk in the Q Bureau, then hesitated and looked down at the phone. "I should go ahead and call Joe," she said to herself. She was exhausted, and she knew her mother would be ready to go home as soon as she was through with her debriefing and Dr. Kelford finished checking Phillip. Although the kidnapping had left her son uninjured except for some ligature marks on his wrists, she had insisted on him seeing the Agency's doctor. But, she didn't know how long they'd be, and knew that she should let Joe know that Phillip was okay. And tonight, for the first time since their divorce, she dreaded talking with her ex-husband. Sighing, she picked up her desk phone and pressed a series of buttons. She listened while the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Joe, it's me."

"Amanda! Any word on Phillip?"

"He's okay. We found him and took the three men who took him into custody."

"Oh, thank God. What happened?"

"It was pretty much what we suspected before you left the house. Gregory took Phillip as a bargaining chip for the list I recovered from Brewer, the thief who was working for him. We finally got Brewer to talk and found out where Phillip might be. Lee and Mr. Melrose found Phillip at that location, and took two of the men into custody."

"What about the third man?" Joe asked.

"Well," Amanda said as she considered how to proceed. Even though Joe knew about her profession, she still struggled with telling him about certain aspects of it. "I apprehended the third man," Amanda admitted as she closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry all this happened, Joe."

"Amanda," Joe King said with a relieved sigh. "I had no doubt that this would turn out okay and that you and Lee would get Phillip home safely." He paused. "How are you?"

"A little rattled, but okay. Everybody's okay." Another pause.

"You know, I still worry about you," Joe said hesitantly.

"Yeah, I know," Amanda replied. Eager to change the subject, she asked, "Is Jamie all right?"

"He's okay. He's been in his room since we got here. I tried to talk with him but he said he didn't really want to."

"That's Jamie. He has to think everything through for awhile."

"Do you want me to bring him back over tonight?"

"No, it's late, and we're still at the Agency. Phillip is down at Medical with Lee, just getting checked out. And Mother is still in her debriefing with Mr. Melrose."

"Debriefing? Why is he debriefing Dotty?"

"Long story," Amanda answered, avoiding the particulars of Dotty's involvement with the Matryoshka List operation earlier in the evening. "But about tomorrow. I wanted to see if you were okay with keeping the boys home from school. Their fall breaks start on Wednesday. I hate for them to miss a day of school but they're both doing really well and I don't think it would hurt them. Besides, we need to have a family meeting. I'm sure Phillip will sleep in, so would it work for you to bring Jamie back home around noon? We can all have a little lunch then talk for awhile."

"How about I stop and pick up some sandwiches on the way?"

"That would be great, Joe. See you then. Give Jamie a hug for me and tell him I love him."

"See you tomorrow, Amanda."

"Bye, Joe."

Amanda placed the phone back on its cradle and closed her eyes for a moment. Even though he had remarried, she knew that Joe still harbored some feelings for her. And although they avoided the subject, she knew that Joe struggled with her relationship with Lee, and dreaded the day when Joe would find out that she was married. She shook her head and rubbed the bridge of her nose, thinking about the mess that she and Lee had created. She sighed, and then stood to head down to the bullpen to check on her mother's progress with the debriefing.

* * *

Amanda entered the bullpen and worked her way toward Billy's office door. The blinds were closed. She paused a moment, then proceeded with her customary knock. _Rap…rap-rap-rap._

From the other side of the door, she heard Billy call, "It's open."

Amanda opened the door and stuck her head in. "Hi, have you two finished?"

"We just completed the debriefing. Come on in and have a seat. Anything else you wish to add, Mrs. West?"

"No, Mr. Melrose, just that I appreciate your help with getting Phillip back."

"You're welcome, Mrs. West. Hopefully we can meet again soon, but under better circumstances than we have in the past."

Dotty smiled and said, "Yes, I hope so too."

They all turned when they heard Phillip's voice as he and Lee entered the bullpen. "So, Lee, when are you gonna show me how to do that cool kick you used on that guy yesterday?"

"I'll show you someday soon, Phillip. I promise," Lee said as they entered Billy's office.

Billy asked, "How are your wrists, Phillip?"

"Just some rope burns, no permanent damage," Phillip said as he held up his bandaged wrists.

Francine walked in and said, "Good news and bad news for our friend Gregory. The good news is he won't be deported, so he won't be headed back to Russia to serve time in Lubyanka again. The bad news is that kidnapping is a federal crime, and he no longer has diplomatic immunity. He'll be prosecuted in the United States, and will be in prison for a long time."

"That's great news, Francine," Billy said. He looked at Lee and Amanda and added, "We're through for tonight. Everyone can go home. And I'm not putting you two back on the active duty roster until Thursday."

"Thanks, Billy. We definitely can use the days off."

"Well, then, I guess we'd better go," Amanda said as she stood. She looked at Lee, unsure of what to say or do.

"Uh, Amanda," Lee said, "I'm going to stay behind and finish a couple of things. I'll call you later, okay?"

Amanda smiled. "Okay. Talk to you later." She turned to her mother and Phillip. "C'mon, let's go home."

Goodbyes and thanks were shared around the office. Amanda, Dotty and Phillip headed for the bullpen door as Lee stood at Billy's office window, watching his still-clandestine family walk out the doors and turn right to head toward the closet elevator. Amanda turned and looked back toward Billy's office. Her eyes met Lee's. He grinned and mouthed the words 'I love you'. Amanda broke out in a smile and gave him a little wave. She disappeared behind the wall, but Lee continued to stare for a long moment. His reverie was broken by Billy.

"You're a lucky man, Scarecrow."

Lee chuckled as he said, "Don't I know it?" He stared out the window a moment longer then turned and said, "Uh, Francine, would you—"

"Yeah, yeah, I can take a hint. I'm going to put the final touches on my report then call it a night. But I just want to say…well…congratulations, Lee." The two longtime friends hugged.

"Thanks, Francine. That means a lot."

Francine walked out and shut the door behind her as Billy returned to his desk. Lee took his usual seat on the opposite side. "Thank you, Billy, for helping us get Phillip back. I owe you another one."

"No worries." Billy leaned back in his chair and looked out into the bullpen. "Lee, you know that I've been supportive of your relationship with Amanda for quite awhile. Maybe even before there was a relationship at all. I guess I can understand why you two didn't want to make it public knowledge right away, but I'm a little disappointed that you didn't tell me you were married. I thought we were closer friends than that."

Lee sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "We are friends, Billy. Best friends. And I wanted to tell everyone, shout it from the top of the Washington Monument. I was just afraid."

"Afraid? Of what?"

"Afraid that if anyone knew we were married, something would happen to Amanda. Or her family. Billy, I just couldn't live with myself if something happened to any of them. Phillip and Jamie's kidnapping today was one of my worst nightmares. Luckily it all turned out okay, but what if it hadn't?"

"Keeping your marriage a secret didn't prevent today from happening, Lee. Besides, how long did you two think you could keep this under wraps? You're each due for updated background checks soon. You had to know the committee would find it."

"Maybe. I have friends who can bury that sort of thing, you know," Lee responded with a sly smile.

"Your 'friends' can't bury something deep enough to avoid Mrs. Frampton and her gang." Billy sighed. "On the one hand, I'm upset with both of you. You've created one hell of a mess. On the other, I couldn't be happier." Billy stood and extended his hand across the desk. "Congratulations, Lee. Amanda is a wonderful woman."

Lee stood and shook Billy's hand warmly. "That she is, Billy. Thank you."

They returned to their seats. Billy said, "Now I need to figure out how to proceed with this information."

"What do you mean?"

"You didn't exactly make this easy on me, Lee. You know how Dr. Smyth is. He's going to want an explanation as to why you kept your marriage hidden."

"It's none of Dr. Smyth's business. Or anyone else's, for that matter. I know that it's not encouraged, but there's no official policy that says partners can't be married. We're equals. She doesn't report to me."

"Lee, you know it isn't about that. You just said it yourself a minute ago. When someone you love is in trouble, it's difficult. If one partner is compromised, the other is just as vulnerable. And when you're dealing with as many of the nation's secrets as we do, it has the potential to create a very dangerous situation. That's why it's discouraged. On top of that, you know Dr. Smyth has a suspicious mind. He'll think there's some other reason you hid your marriage. He is liable to launch some kind of investigation under the auspices that anything which affects the workings of this Agency is his business." Billy hesitated before continuing. "You know, one of you could change jobs. Like Janet Miller did when she and Henry married."

"Billy, surely you don't expect Amanda to become a desk jockey in Operations. She just gained full agent status! Besides, Amanda is twice the agent Janet Miller ever was. And before you get any ideas about splitting us up, I'm not letting her out in the field without me. No way. We're a package deal."

Billy looked at Lee for a long moment. "I need to think about this for a little while. So for now, Francine and I are the only ones here at the Agency who need to know this information. I've already talked with Francine, and ordered her to keep it under wraps. You and Amanda have the same order. Understood?"

"I get it. But what Amanda said in the car earlier is true. We're tired of the secrets. We can't live like this. It's not fair to anyone."

"So I'm assuming Amanda's sons and Mrs. West have no idea you two are married."

"No. Amanda and I have only been involved on more than a professional level for a little over a year." At this, Billy smirked. Lee replied, "C'mon Billy. You've known me for years. Do you honestly think I was prepared for this kind of a commitment until recently? And you know that Amanda's not one for casual relationships."

"No, I guess not. How do you plan to let them know? Don't you think it's going to come as a shock?"

"I don't know. I guess we'll just tell them, sort of like we did today."

"We all saw how well THAT went," Billy commented with a roll of his eyes.

Lee ran a hand through his hair. "Yeah, I know. But Billy, deep down I've always wanted a family. And now I have one, and I love all of them, and I'm sick and tired of waiting to get on with my life."

"I know you are. But Lee, you need to tread lightly here. You run the risk of alienating them, especially the younger boy. So just be careful."

"I hear ya," Lee said with a sigh. Then he stood. "Well, I'm going back up to the Q Bureau and finish my notes about today. Then I'm heading back to my apartment and get some sleep. Thanks for the days off, Billy." Lee smiled. "I have a feeling we're gonna need 'em. I think I might be wrapped up in my first 'family meetings' over the next day or two."

"You're welcome. Oh, by the way," Billy added as he reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a large envelope. He handed the package to Lee. "Would you take these to Amanda? They're the pictures she requested from the Baltimore party where Senator Brown's daughter was last seen. I've had Fielder and Jones working on her disappearance since the mess with the Matryoshka List diverted her attention, but I need her back on it full time starting Thursday."

"Awww, Billy!" Lee griped. "Has Amanda been appointed Cindy Brown's new babysitter? She's too good at her job to waste her talents continually hunting down some senator's ditzy, spoiled brat daughter." He paused a moment, then added, sarcastically, "How many times has she 'disappeared'? Ten? Fifteen?"

"Seven," Billy replied. "You know it's just a matter of figuring out what crazy cause she decided to follow this time. And Senator Brown requested Amanda specifically. Cindy likes her, and will respond to her. More than she did with Francine, if you'll remember," Billy added with a wry smile. "Besides," he continued, "helping the senator is a favor to the Vice President. They've been close friends for years."

"Well, I just don't see how it's Agency business, that's all," Lee grumbled as he took the envelope from Billy.

"It is because the higher-ups SAY it is. Now finish your notes and go home. See you Thursday. And good luck on those 'family meetings'."

Lee smiled. "Thanks, Billy. See you in a couple of days."

Billy watched Lee leave the bullpen. He leaned his head back onto his chair and shut his eyes. "How in the world am I going to broach this subject with Dr. Smyth?" he asked himself, shaking his head. "Guess that's why I make the big bucks," he answered himself with a deep sigh.

* * *

Amanda glanced over at Dotty, who was in the passenger's seat of the Wagonneer. She had been uncommonly quiet during the ride back to Arlington, and Amanda supposed she could understand why. It had been an epic day. But her mother couldn't have gotten a word in even if she had wanted to. Phillip had been talking nonstop since they got in the car.

"They tied me up with a bowline knot, and it sure was tight. So it took me awhile to untie it. Plus, Gregory kept coming in the room with the phone so I could talk to you, Mom, prove I was still okay and stuff. So that slowed me down too. But then, I got the knot undone just as he came in to tell me that they had grabbed Grandma too and they were gonna send us off to Russia. We heard something downstairs, and it got his attention long enough so I was able to bring him down with a leg sweep. Then I held him down with a tight waist tilt."

"You know, Phillip, we need to talk about this wrestling business. I'm not very happy that you told me I was signing a basketball release for your school instead of one for wrestling. You shouldn't lie to your mother," Amanda admonished.

Under her breath, Dotty muttered, "Well, THAT'S like the pot calling the kettle black, isn't it?"

"MO-THER!" Amanda exclaimed as she shot a sideways glance at Dotty.

"Just pointing out the obvious, Amanda."

Phillip said, "I'm sorry, Mom. But it turned out to be a good thing, huh? Because I got the drop on him! Coach says never hesitate once you commit to a move, so I didn't. And you know what? He's right! I had Gregory and he wasn't getting up anytime soon! Then all of a sudden the door flew open. Lee busted it down with a kick and ran in, gun first! It was so cool, Mom. You shoulda been there. Anyway, Lee thought Gregory had me on the ground and it was really funny when he realized I had HIM!"

"Sweetheart, it was a very dangerous situation. Either you or Lee could have been seriously hurt."

"Nah, Mom, we had it under control."

'WE had it under control,' Amanda thought as she rolled her eyes.

Phillip continued, "So then, I saw the other Russian dude behind Lee and he was swinging a club at Lee's head. I yelled for Lee to look out, and he turned just in time to duck. Then the other guy, you know, Lee's boss—"

"Mr. Melrose." Amanda cut in.

"Yeah, him. Well, he grabbed the club, twisted the guy around, and threw him against the wall! It was awesome!"

"Phillip, don't romanticize what happened today. You were caught in a bad situation. We're all lucky that it turned out as well as it did," Amanda admonished.

"What does 'romanticize' mean?" Phillip asked.

Dotty answered. "She means that you shouldn't make it out to be some grand, fun adventure, like a TV show or something."

"I don't know about that, but it was so cool! Mom, I'm starving. Can we stop by Marvin's before we go home?"

Amanda hadn't even thought about dinner. "Sure, Sweetheart. Mother, are you hungry?"

"No, I'm really not," Dotty replied.

They stopped by Marvin's and Phillip ordered two burgers, an extra large order of fries, and a milkshake. Amanda started to launch her usual protest over the volume of food, but decided to let it go this time. Phillip finished most of it before they arrived home, and in between bites he had further painted Lee's hero status. 'Phillip has Lee wearing a red cape and a giant 'S' on his chest', Amanda thought with a little smile. 'No problems explaining my secret marriage to Phillip. But how will Mother and Jamie take the news?'

The trio arrived back at 4247 Maplewood Drive and entered the house. Phillip turned to Amanda and said, "Mom, I'm really tired all of a sudden. I'm going to bed."

When Phillip ordered at Marvelous Marvin's, Amanda knew it would only be a matter of time before he was out like a light. "Good night, Sweetheart," she said as she hugged her son tightly. "I love you so very, very much." As they hugged, Amanda thought of the restlessness she had sometimes felt the nights she had come home after a particularly tough case. It was most difficult in the middle of the night, when she had no one in which to confide, especially if the trauma resulted in one of her more and more frequent nightmares. It had gotten a little easier since she and Lee had married, but their nights together had been so sporadic she didn't have the luxury of that comfort very often. So she added, "You know, Phillip, I'm just right down the hall if you need to talk about anything. No matter what time it is."

"I know, Mom. Thanks," Phillip answered, sensing her meaning. "Goodnight, Grandma."

"Good night, Phillip. I love you," she replied as she hugged her grandson. Phillip bounded up the steps.

Amanda and Dotty regarded each other for a moment. "Good night, Amanda," Dotty said shortly as she turned and walked up the steps.

Amanda watched after her. "G-good night, Mother," she stammered as she heard Dotty's bedroom door close with a decided thud. Amanda hung her head. She was a little surprised, because she figured she'd be on the receiving end of round two as soon as they returned home. But history had taught her that her mother's hasty exit meant she was angry. 'Great,' she thought. 'It's worse than I thought. She's upset now, but she's going to be livid when she finds out the rest of the story'.

Amanda headed to her bedroom. She showered, and then got into bed waited for Lee to call. The phone rang just after midnight. She grabbed it before the ringing awakened anyone.

"Lee?"

"Hi," Lee replied, relieved. "I'm glad you're still up. Are you okay?"

"I'm so tired but I just can't seem to relax. It's been such a crazy day. How about you? Did you finish everything up?"

"Well, I really just wanted to stay behind and talk with Billy for a few minutes. You know, get the lay of the land."

"And?"

"He's worried about what Dr. Smyth might do. He thinks he might launch some kind of an investigation."

"Oh my gosh."

"Amanda, I don't care if he does."

"What?"

"I said, I don't care if he does. Let him bring his worst. It doesn't matter what Dr. Smyth or any of the rest of them think. We are an effective team, marriage or no marriage. If they want to fire us because we love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together, then they can just fire us. It's their loss."

"Lee, are you sure you mean that?"

"I am, Amanda. As you know, at first I thought this mystery marriage idea was a great way to be together but still keep everyone safe. But we didn't protect anyone. Today proves that. So now that reason is gone. I'm sick of the secrets. If the Agency wants to keep us, then fine. If they think they can do better, then that's fine too. I love you, Amanda Stetson. You and Phillip and Jamie are more important to me than anything else."

"I love you, too. It means the world to me to hear you say that. But Lee, there's still so much unresolved."

"What do you mean?"

"Mother and the boys have been through a lot today. They learned a lot today. I don't think they're ready to find out we're married."

"So what are you saying, you don't want to tell them? Amanda, we just had this conversation last night. We're tired of living in secret."

"That's true, Sweetheart. But I don't think we've heard the last from them. Mother is still upset. And you know how aloof Jamie was when you first met him? We'll probably have to go through another phase of that. There are so many questions they will want answered to be comfortable with the concept. Then, on top of that, to find out we're married? It's too much."

"You've always accused me of keeping too many secrets. Now look at you," Lee replied, a little hurt.

"No, Lee, I just think we need to take the next part a little slower. We still have a lot—"

"I know, I know. 'A lot to think about'. Amanda, I'm getting really tired of having a lot to think about. This is simple. We love each other. I love Phillip and Jamie. And Dotty. We need to be a family. It's that simple."

"It's not 'that simple'."

"What do you mean?"

"We need to decide how to do this with minimal damage."

"Well, we need to decide soon. No…YOU need to decide soon. I've made my decision. I'm done with it."

Lee pressed the button on the wireless phone, wishing he could have the satisfaction of slamming the headset down on the cradle. He continued to pace around the room. He paused, then strode purposefully over to the bar and poured a glass of scotch. He took a long sip. "It's like she's rejecting me!" he growled as he took another pull of the peaty spirit. He plopped down on the couch, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He felt the warmth of the scotch begin to relax him, and he almost immediately felt guilty about hanging up on his wife. 'Why did I do that?' he thought. He took another sip, and then set the glass down on the coffee table. 'Amanda and Billy are both right. We can't move fast. I just miss Amanda so much, and I need her. Especially after a long day like today. I was so worried about Phillip, and then Dotty_ and_ Amanda. I was worried about my whole family. I'm so proud of all of them, and I want everyone to know they're mine.' He adjusted the throw pillow to the side, and then stretched out on the couch. He closed his eyes, willing the worry, anger, and hurt away. He felt himself relax even more. 'I should call Amanda back' was his last thought before slipping into sleep.

* * *

Amanda propped her pillow against the headboard and sat up in her bed. She had tried to go to sleep, to no avail. An hour had passed since Lee's call, and subsequent hang-up. 'Why didn't he call back?' Amanda thought. 'Now everyone is upset with me.' Deep down, she knew everything would work out okay in the end, but the road was going to be very bumpy if they didn't consider each step carefully. She knew Lee so well, and knew why he acted the way he did on the phone. He missed her. He was worried about her. He wanted to be there with her to protect her. They were both exhausted, and over the phone in the middle of the night had not been the time to get into the particulars of their situation.

Deciding that sleep was eluding her for a second night, Amanda arose from the bed, put on her robe, and crept down the hallway. She slowly opened the door to her sons' room. Phillip was sound asleep. Amanda smiled as she thought about how much she loved Phillip, and how proud she was of him. She quietly closed the door and headed for the steps that would take her down to the kitchen. 'Some warm milk will help me relax', she thought.

* * *

Dotty West lay in her bed in fitful sleep. She was having a nightmare. A man was practically dragging her down a darkened street, at gunpoint, in a bad part of Washington. She heard a woman's voice, and as they turned around, the man raised his gun to Dotty's head. The woman, somebody named Francine Desmond, was telling the man to let Dotty go.

"_Come on, Gavrikov. We already have Gregory and Parolow. We've rescued the boy. You're standing alone now, and you're only making things worse for yourself. Now let Mrs. West go. You know you're trapped."_

"_Not so," Gavrikov replied. "Mrs. West will be quite valuable on the auction block. Whomever I sell her to will have a direct line to Stetson and King."_

In the dream, she suddenly heard Amanda's voice from behind her, but the voice was different than her daughter's usual raspy lilt. Instead, it was icy. Demanding. Commanding. The distorted strangeness of Amanda's voice woke Dotty with a start. She sat up and frantically looked around the room. "Oh, thank God that was just a dream," she said softly then lay back down, relieved. As she shook the sleep from her mind, her eyes widened when she remembered it was not a just a bad dream, but a replay of events that had happened just a few hours ago. Then her mind's floodgates opened. 'Amanda is a spy. Amanda is a spy.' She just couldn't get the thought out of her head. And other questions started spilling in again, and their frantic speed was almost dizzying. When Amanda was suddenly and unexpectedly gone all night or for days, allegedly for location work on some film, was it really because she was being held against her will, like Phillip was today? What kind of mission was she involved in when she was supposedly on vacation in California but ended up almost dying in a Los Angeles hospital from a gunshot wound to the chest? Does she often get involved in gunfights? And if the job was that dangerous, why did she keep doing it, putting herself and her family in harm's way?

Dotty was upset with Amanda and, she had to admit, a little hurt. They had always been close, but Amanda had been so evasive the past few years. At first, Dotty had written this off as her daughter's attempt to have her own life and interests after her divorce from Joe. Then, for an extended period, she was convinced Amanda was having an affair with a married man. But it never seemed to ring true; it would have been so out of character for her daughter. She eventually abandoned that theory. Finally, she wasn't quite sure what was going on, but she knew that there was more to this film company, IFF, than met the eye. She just hadn't been able to figure out what it might be. More questions arose when she met the very handsome and charming Lee Stetson, who had seemed too good to be true. Dotty didn't know any other film people, but she couldn't picture Lee as some kind of director. Now that she knew the truth, the rest of the puzzle was beginning to come together. But this just led to more questions. How did Amanda become involved in such dangerous work? How long had she been working for the government? How long had she known Lee? What really was their relationship? And now that she and the boys knew the truth, what would happen next?

Just then, Dotty heard Amanda's bedroom door quietly open and shut. She heard her daughter almost silently creep down the hallway toward the boys' room. 'Amanda can't sleep either,' Dotty thought. After a moment, she heard soft footsteps move past her door once again, then to the steps. A few seconds later, she heard activity in the kitchen. The clang of a pan being removed from the cabinet next to the stove. The refrigerator door opening and closing. "Warm milk," Dotty said softly, with a smile. Over the past couple of years, she had been so impressed with what a confident, beautiful woman Amanda had become. But at 2 o'clock in the morning, Amanda was still her little girl. Her thoughts turned to how proud she had been of her daughter earlier in the day, when she devised the clever interrogation scenario she came up with in a split second to get that stubborn Brewer man to talk. Lee and Mr. Melrose insisted it wouldn't work, since Amanda had been the one to capture him after he tried to steal a list of names to turn over to the Russians. But it did work, like a charm. Then later, on the street, the confident way Amanda had sneaked up behind her and Gavrikov, putting the muzzle of her gun…Amanda with a gun!...at Gavrikov's head. She vividly recalled Amanda's cold and authoritative tone, so unfamiliar to Dotty.

"_King has a direct line to you right now, Gavrikov. Now let my mother go."_

Gavrikov had laughed_. "Oh, Mrs. King, such a bad bluff! It's known far and wide in the KGB that you threaten, but never shoot."_

"_That's because no one has ever had a gun to my mother's head," _Amanda had said icily_. "You will be the one to change my reputation unless you let her go right now." _

In the bed, Dotty flinched as she remembered the ominous sound of Amanda pulling the hammer back on the revolver.

"_I mean it, Gavrikov. The reason I've never shot anyone is because I've never needed to. But I promise you, right now I have no qualms about you being the first." _

Dotty's thoughts then turned to the conversation with Mr. Melrose after her debriefing.

"_You're going to learn more about your daughter over the next few days than you've probably learned in the last few years. So I just wanted to say, please be easy on her. And on Lee. "_

'I wonder what on earth there could possibly be left to learn?' Dotty wondered. Then she pondered on what Mr. Melrose had said about Lee and the role Amanda played in his success.

_He's the best agent I have, and he would die a hundred times over to keep Amanda safe. That's the main reason I wanted you to come along with us this evening. I wanted you to see both of them at work, but especially Amanda. I can't afford to lose her, Mrs. West. Because if I lose her, I lose Lee. Lee was always a good agent, but now he's a great agent. Thanks to Amanda. Their partnership has been one of the most successful in Agency history."_

"_Are they really that good?" _Dotty had asked.

"_Mrs. West, your daughter has saved countless lives, including my own and several others you see out there," _Billy had said, gesturing toward the bullpen_. "And as for Lee, she has saved him in more ways than one." _

"_What do you mean by that?"_

Billy had smiled._ "You'll see."_

What DID he mean by that? Dotty heaved a heavy sigh and threw off the covers, then turned and sat on the edge of the bed. 'I am so upset with Amanda, but she's my daughter and I love her. And even though I'm still upset, I'm so very proud of her. I need to let her know that. Plus it's time to get some answers. It's time to get to know my daughter again'. Dotty stood and reached for her robe.

TO BE CONTINUED…


	2. Chapter 2

Amanda sat in semi-darkness at the table in the breakfast nook, her hands wrapped around a cup of warm milk. It was almost 2 AM. Was it just 24 hours ago that she had lain awake, trying to think through how to reveal her secret life to her family? 'Well, that problem's been solved,' Amanda thought. 'Now how do I explain that Lee and I are married? What a mess.'

Amanda looked down and stretched out her left hand. She stared at the diamond ring and the wedding band on her ring finger. Before she had gone to bed, she had removed her rings from their box and placed them on her finger. It always helped her feel closer to Lee when they were apart. She knew she shouldn't be wearing the rings at home, and had started to take them off before coming downstairs. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. 'If Mother was upset before, she'll be livid now,' Amanda thought. 'She'll never forgive me for this'.

"Darling, are you all right?"

At the sound of her mother's voice, she quickly placed her hands in her lap. "Yes, Mother, just having some warm milk," she replied as she worked the rings off her finger and tucked them in the pocket of her robe.

Dotty walked into the breakfast nook. "May I join you?"

"Of course."

She pulled out one of the chairs and sat. "Can't sleep, huh?"

"No. Guess you can't either."

Dotty shook her head. "Too much excitement today and too many thoughts running through my mind."

"I know."

"Do you feel like talking?"

'Here comes that round two I've been expecting', Amanda thought. She replied, "Sure. It's been a long time since we've had a good talk."

Dotty fixed Amanda with a pointed look. "How long HAS it been?"

Amanda looked down at her mug, catching the double meaning in her mother's question. "Four years."

"Four years? Amanda, how in the world have you kept this secret for so long?"

"You know, Mother, I tried to tell you I was an agent a couple of years ago, and you didn't believe me."

Dotty hesitated before continuing. "That's true, Amanda, you did. But really, the way you told me, who _would_ believe it? It sounded so outlandish! Nuclear bombs and hypnosis," Dotty added with a rueful chuckle.

"Well, I didn't have time to make up a better reason. So I decided to just lay out the truth. At the Agency, we operate under a rule called 'need to know'. On that day, I needed you to take action and leave town. I didn't have any other options. So you needed to know."

"Which is what happened today. Amanda, you had to be backed into a corner to be honest with me. It makes me wonder if Phillip and Jamie hadn't been kidnapped and in danger, would you have just kept this secret from us forever?"

"Oh, Mother," Amanda replied with a sigh. "There are so many things I have wanted to talk with you about for so long, but I promised I wouldn't. When I started working at the Agency I took an oath of secrecy, and promised I wouldn't tell anyone anything. But, you know, it's funny how things work out. Last night, Lee and I talked about telling all of you about what we really do, and who we really are. And so today, on our way over here, I told Mr. Melrose I didn't want to lie to you anymore. You know, I could have made up another story about what had happened to Phillip, but I just don't think it's fair anymore."

"Speaking of 'fair', explain to me how it is that, as your mother and your sons' grandmother, I didn't have a…what is it you call it?

"Need to know," Amanda replied quietly, staring down into her mug of lukewarm milk.

Dotty continued, "A 'need to know' that you may get hurt, or worse, never come home?"

"I'm not in dangerous situations all the time. Only on occasion."

"'Only on occasion?' Amanda, you were shot! You almost died!"

"Mother, the incident in LA had nothing to do with Agency business. I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time." Dotty looked at Amanda dubiously. "It really didn't. Listen, I promised you no more lies. Anything I tell you from here on out is the truth. I'm not in dangerous situations all the time. Most of what we do is intelligence gathering. Asking questions and tracking leads. But once we solve the puzzle, we have to track down who's responsible, and when we find them they usually don't want to be caught. So that's when it can get…well…complicated. Today, you got to see a great example of what we do. It's just usually not as personal as this case."

"Amanda, I guess what I really don't understand is if it's so dangerous, why do you keep doing it?"

"When I got involved with the Agency, I was really a fish out of water. But I found out pretty quickly that I liked it and was really kinda good at it, especially with the problem solving part. What we do is not always pretty, but it's necessary, and it needs to be done by people who have a talent for it. The more I learn about what a dangerous place the world can be, the more I want to protect my sons. And you. Mother, I know it's hard to believe because you don't know the agent side of me yet, but I've had a lot of training, and I'm good at my job. I can protect myself, and you and the boys are not in constant danger. Ironically, you're all safer than most people. So please don't worry."

Dotty softened a little. "Amanda, the way you came up with the idea to use Phillip's picture to get that man to talk tonight was so creative. Then the way you held your gun on that horrible man who was holding me captive… well…it was so brave." She reached over and took Amanda's hand. "I want you to know that I don't think I've ever been as proud of you as I was today."

Amanda's surprised eyes glistened. "Thank you, Mother. You have no idea how much that means to me."

"I mean it," Dotty replied with a smile. She patted Amanda's hand. "Well, I think I'm going to make some milk for myself. Would you like some more?"

"That would be nice, thank you."

Dotty moved to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She removed the milk and poured some into the pan on the stove. "Amanda, are you up for a few more questions tonight?"

"Sure. I'll tell you what I can," Amanda replied with a smile. She stood, picked up her mug, and moved to the counter opposite her mother's place at the stove.

"Well, I have hundreds of them, but let's start at the beginning. How in the world did you get involved in all this spy business? I asked Mr. Melrose and he said I should ask you. Was it when you worked for Ms. Desmond?"

Amanda looked at her mother quizzically. "When I worked for Francine? I never worked for Francine."

"Amanda, I recognized her the second I met her. You don't easily forget someone who owns a chimpanzee."

"Mother, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Isn't she the lady you used to pet-sit for when you had the 'pets and plants' business? She came by here a few years ago. Is she the one who got you the job as a spy?"

Amanda laughed. "Oh, that! Mother, Francine doesn't have a chimpanzee. In fact, she doesn't have any pets at all. Or, at least, I don't think she does. I just told you that because she came by here to ask if I knew where Lee was after—" At this, Amanda paused. She had almost finished the sentence with '—after he went against orders and completed an illegal hostage trade to rescue me from the Russians'. She thought better of it and changed course. "Uh…well… anyway, she was looking for Lee and I had to make up a reason for her to be here. And no, she had nothing to do with me starting to work for the Agency."

"Oh. Then how did it happen?"

"You really want to hear this now?"

"There's no time like the present."

Amanda pulled out one of the counter's stools and sat as she said, "Okay. Do you remember Dean?"

"Now _there's_ a name I haven't heard in awhile." 'And now I know why', Dotty thought. Aloud, she added, "Of course I do."

"Well, one morning Dean asked me to take him to the train station. And even though he protested, I walked him to his train. We said goodbye and the train left. I was walking back along the platform when suddenly a man in a waiter's uniform approached me from the opposite direction. He grabbed me, whirled me around, and asked me to walk with him. I said no. I tried to walk away but he stopped me. He practically begged me to help him. So I did."

"What did he want you to do?"

"He handed me a package and told me to get on the train, and give the package to the man in the red hat."

"And you took it? Then got on the train?" Dotty asked, incredulously.

Amanda nodded. "Right after I boarded, the train started to move. I looked back out the door, and two other men were chasing the man who approached me. They caught him and tackled him into a cart of suitcases. Then they started hitting him. Needless to say, I was shocked. I pulled back before they could see me, and then turned to find the man in the red hat. But I had another shock - there were a bunch of Shriners on the train, so everyone in the car was wearing a red hat."

"So what did you do?" Dotty asked, fascinated, as she reached for Amanda's mug and topped it off with piping hot milk. She picked up her own mug and moved back toward the breakfast nook table.

"The only thing I COULD do," Amanda continued as she stood and moved back to the table as well. The women sat. "I bought a ticket from the conductor, rode to the next stop, and caught the next train back to DC. I still had the package and had no idea what it was or what I should do. So I brought it back home. Then the man who gave me the package tracked me down."

"Did you ever find out what was in the package?"

"Mmmhmm," Amanda managed as she took a sip of milk. "A music box with a note in it."

"What did the note say?"

"Duck a la Nathan Hale, Valley Forge Flapjacks, and Pilgrim's Peach Puff."

Dotty's brow furrowed. "Those sound familiar. Are they names of recipes?"

"They are. Do you remember Mrs. Welsh, who hosted the Colonial Cookery Show?"

Dotty 's eyes lit up. "Yes! I loved that show. Did you know she was arrested for espionage?" Amanda smiled. Dotty's eyes widened. "Amanda! Did you have something to do with that?"

"It ended up being my first case. Unofficially, of course, because I didn't work for the Agency yet. I just figured out what was going on and went to her house."

"Is that what Lee was talking about earlier when he referred to you going off into the Virginia countryside by yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Amanda," Dotty admonished, "I raised you to have good, common sense. What possessed you to go out there by yourself?"

"I figured out that Mrs. Welsh was somehow involved in the murders of several agents. And I knew that the man who had given me the package was in trouble. I couldn't let him die, Mother. I know it wasn't very smart, but something just told me go out there. So I did. They were going to kill him, and I helped him get away. I was brought in for a debriefing, and Mr. Melrose was impressed with what I'd done. I was looking for work at the time, and the Agency has a classification of employees called civilian auxiliary that are used for clerical duties and low level assignments. So he hired me. I guess they think I do a pretty good job because last year I was promoted to a full agent."

"Well, help me understand something else. Why did you agree to take the package from the man in the first place?"

"Mother, it's hard to explain." Amanda paused a moment, searching for the right words to describe something she had never tried to express in words. "When he asked me to help him, I looked into his eyes. All of a sudden a feeling came over me I had never felt before, and quite frankly I just can't describe. I don't know whether the feeling was fate, or déjà vu, or instinct. Something just told me to help him."

Dotty gasped. "Amanda! It just hit me! The man with the package must have been Lee! Right?"

Amanda smiled and looked down, shyly. "It was."

"Oh, Amanda, how completely ROMANTIC! It's just like a movie! Love at first sight! How have you kept him hidden for four years? "

Amanda laughed. "No, Mother, it wasn't like that at all. Lee and I only had a professional association until about a year ago."

"I don't believe that," Dotty replied, shaking her head. "Even though you two have tried to hide it, I can tell how close you are."

"Well, we had feelings for each other for awhile but we didn't acknowledge them."

"Why not?"

"Oh, for a lot of reasons. Lee's parents died when he was only five, so…"

"I had no idea! That's just TERRIBLE!" Dotty exclaimed, placing a hand on Amanda's arm.

"I know, Mother, it's awful. So Lee was raised by his uncle on military bases around the world. Colonel Clayton is a good man, and he did a good job with Lee, but he's not…well…he just didn't know how to deal with a little boy. So Lee had no foundation for love. And I think the feelings Lee developed for me scared him. In fact, he spent most of the first year or so trying to get rid of me. When I met Lee, he was a loner. And a playboy, I might add. So a divorced mother of two little boys wasn't at the top of his list of hot dates."

"Well, what about you, Amanda? It does take two to tango, Darling. Why didn't you tell him how you felt?"

Amanda sighed. "Mother, when we first met I knew I wasn't his type, and I thought there was no way he would be interested in me. After a year or so, deep down I knew I loved him, but I just couldn't bring myself to say anything. I was afraid if I did, I would lose him from my life altogether, and that thought was unbearable. Plus I was worried it would affect our professional relationship. So I kept my feelings to myself."

"And now? I mean, where is your relationship with Lee headed?"

Amanda's eyes twinkled as she smiled. "Oh, Mother. I love him so much."

"Has he popped the question?" Dotty asked excitedly.

"Uh…yeah…" Amanda hedged. She hadn't wanted to tell her mother like this, or this soon. She wished Lee were there with her for encouragement. Without thinking, Amanda placed her hands in her lap. She worked the rings out of her robe pocket and back onto her left ring finger.

"So you're engaged?" Dotty enthused.

"Well…uh…we were."

Dotty frowned. "What do you mean, 'we were'? Amanda, please don't tell me you turned down that charming man."

"No, I…um…I accepted," she replied, unable to meet her mother's gaze.

"Amanda, enough with the word games. What are you trying to tell me?"

Amanda removed her left hand from her lap and extended it toward her mother. Dotty gasped. "A-MAN-DA! You said you weren't engaged!" Dotty reached for her daughter's hand and pulled it toward her to provide closer inspection. "What a gorgeous…_rings_?" Dotty stared at her daughter's hand as she held it in hers. She fingered the rings on Amanda's hand, pulling the diamond away from the plain gold wedding band, and inspected them. She looked back up at Amanda, whose eyes were brimming with unshed tears.

"Mother, I know you're angry and I'm so sorry to have kept this from you but—"

"You're _MARRIED_?" Dotty practically shrieked as Amanda cringed.

"Shhhhh….Mother, you'll wake Phillip!" Amanda whispered.

"Amanda! What in the WORLD?" Dotty whispered back as she squeezed her daughter's hand.

"Mother, once Lee and I admitted how we felt about each other we just didn't want to wait. But we were afraid that we would just put all of you in more danger. Besides, you and the boys had just met Lee. So how was I supposed to explain it? 'Mother, this is Lee Stetson. He and I have worked together for three years. But not for a film company. We're spies. You need to know who we are and what we really do because we're in love and we're getting married. And Lee has more enemies than I do. Now that he will be part of the family all of you run the risk of being even more targeted.' There was no way all that was going to work. Mother, it's all just gotten so complicated." Amanda looked down. "I'm so sorry, I know how upset you are that I didn't tell you about this but—"

"Upset? Amanda, look at me."

Amanda looked back up at Dotty, who now also had tears in her eyes. Dotty took her other hand and held Amanda's hand with both of hers. "Darling, I don't think upset is the word. I'm shocked. Who wouldn't be? I mean, this has all gotten completely out of hand. First, I find out that you've kept a significant part of your life hidden from me for years. Then, I find out you're married. It's just almost too much to accept." Dotty regarded Amanda for a moment. She saw a tear escape Amanda's eye and watched as it rolled down her cheek. She sighed. "But then, I've wanted this for you for so long, and Lee is such a wonderful man." Dotty paused, weighing her next words. Then she added, "I don't blame you; I would have sunk my hooks into that catch as quickly as I could."

Amanda couldn't believe her mother's reaction. "You're not angry with me?"

"You know I've always said if you find a good thing, don't hesitate. I'm glad to see you took my advice for once."

"_Mo-ther!_ I take your advice all the time!" Amanda eyed her mother suspiciously. "You know, you're acting awfully calm about this."

"Well, I've had a chance to think a little," Dotty admitted. "It's why I came downstairs in the first place. I have two choices. I can stay angry with you, or I can start to work on accepting all of this. And I just love you too much to be upset for long. I'm shocked and, I'll admit, very disappointed you didn't confide in me, but angry? No. Oh Darling, congratulations!" Tears finally flowed freely as the two women shared a long hug. They sat back, smiling through their tears.

"So," Dotty continued, removing two paper napkins from the holder on the table, "when did all this happen?" She handed one of the napkins to Amanda.

"About 9 months ago. On February 13."

Dotty stared at Amanda for a moment, and then recognition dawned in her eyes. "Oh my God, Amanda. You and Lee weren't on your honeymoon when you were shot, were you?"

"We were. Some honeymoon, huh?"

"That's just terrible!" Dotty replied. "Well, when you and Lee have another ceremony, you'll just have to take another one."

Amanda said, "Now wait a minute. Who said anything about another ceremony?"

Dotty said, "Well, Amanda, you'll need to. For the boys."

"What do you mean, 'for the boys'?"

"Surely you aren't planning on telling them you've been married for 9 months."

"I was planning to tell everyone. No more lies, remember?"

Dotty shook her head. "Amanda, I don't think that's wise. I was watching Oprah a few weeks ago. The topic was second marriages, and she was talking about ways to help children accept a stepparent as part of the family. Phillip loves Lee, there's no question about that. And Jamie has warmed up to him. But this is a lot to take in. Once the dust settles, getting them to understand why you lied about your job will be a tall order. Then on top of that, to find out that you and Lee are married and you didn't tell them THAT? I think you could complicate things even more, if that's possible. Does Joe know?"

"No, he knows that Lee and I work together, and thinks we have dated for a few months. But not that it's anything serious."

"I wouldn't tell him either, Amanda."

"Why not?"

"If Joe knows everything about your job already and he's okay with it, that's one thing. But the poor man still has feelings for you."

"Mother! What makes you say that? Joe is remarried!"

"I don't care if he's remarried or not. I can tell by the way he looks at you. Talks to you. Refers to you when you're not around. I know you want to be forthcoming with everything, but Phillip, Jamie and Joe don't have a 'have to know'—"

"Need to know," Amanda corrected, smiling.

"Whatever," Dotty said with a wave of her hand. "They don't 'need to know' you're already married. Start with an engagement, and get their blessing. It doesn't even have to be a long engagement. Then we can plan a ceremony and a reception. Something simple. Here at the house, if you'd like."

"Lee and I haven't had the time to talk about this, but you may be right." Amanda sighed. "Mother, Lee is so angry with me."

"Angry? Why?" Dotty asked.

"Because he thinks we should just plow forward and tell everyone, and I think we should take it slower. But I hadn't even thought about another ceremony. I don't know why we didn't think of it. It's a good idea, and it would resolve a lot of issues." Amanda smiled. "And I think Lee will like the idea too."

"Amanda, how did you two think you were going to explain this in the first place? You couldn't have thought you were going to keep this a secret forever."

"No, we didn't. But we never really talked about it. It didn't take us long to figure out we'd made a big mistake. But then it was just more lies on top of lies, and we didn't know what to do."

"So where did you leave it with Lee tonight? I heard him call."

"He got so frustrated he hung up on me. I thought he'd call back but he never did. I don't think I've ever heard him so upset with me."

"Well, Amanda, maybe he fell asleep. You told me both of you have been going for days with very little sleep. He's an exceptional man, but he _is_ a human being, after all. You'll talk tomorrow. Everything always looks brighter in the morning."

Amanda smiled, remembering all the times growing up that her mother had invoked those exact words. And she was always right. "You know, before you and the boys met Lee, he would come by here to talk about a new case or to check in. He didn't call very much because he didn't want to arouse suspicion. He'd pop up at the kitchen window," Amanda said as she gestured to the window over the sink. "At first, it used to startle me so much it's a wonder I didn't scream. I keep glancing over there tonight, hoping I'll see him."

Dotty squeezed Amanda's hand. "No more kitchen window secrets, okay? It's time for you and Lee to live your lives in the open. Or, at least, as in the open as you can, given the circumstances."

"Thank you, Mother. You always have a way of helping me clear my head." Amanda yawned. "You know, I think I can go to sleep now. Thanks for the talk, and for understanding. It helps more than you know."

"I'm your mother. I always understand you." They hugged again.

They released and Amanda stood. "Are you coming up?"

Dotty replied, "I'm going to finish my milk, then put that pan in to soak. I'll be up in a few minutes."

"Okay, then. Good night, Mother. I love you."

"I love you too, Darling. Sleep tight."

Amanda walked slowly up the steps, relishing in the relief that had washed over her. All of a sudden, she was exhausted. The years of keeping many parts of her life secret had come to an end, and it was as if a huge boulder had been lifted from her shoulders. She couldn't wait to tell Lee about the plan her mother had devised, but right now she didn't think she could utter another word. Once she made it to her room, she quietly closed the door then removed her robe and climbed into the bed. She fell asleep almost immediately.

* * *

Dotty sat at the kitchen table for a few moments, lost in thought. Deep down, she was still unsure about Amanda's job. She thought Amanda was playing down the level of dangerousness she encountered, and Dotty didn't know how she would ever be totally comfortable with the thought. As for the secret marriage her daughter and Lee had embarked upon, she was completely in shock. But at the same time, she was so happy. She had wanted someone like Lee in Amanda and the boys' lives for a long time. Dotty polished off her milk and stood, then walked toward the sink with her empty mug. She paused in front of the sink and thought about Amanda, standing in this very spot, washing dishes, surely hoping but never knowing when Lee would show up to talk with her about their latest case. Dotty wondered how many times she herself might have just missed the sight of a strange man peering into their home, silently communicating with her daughter. She smiled and looked up just in time to see Lee's face pop up from underneath the window. She instinctively jumped back.

"Oh…my goodness!" Dotty exclaimed, almost dropping the mug.

Lee's face quickly disappeared. Dotty put her free hand over her chest, shook her head, and said, "I was right. This is completely out of hand." She walked back over to the sink, set the mug down, and opened the window.

"Lee?" She called softly. "Lee! Are you still out there?" Slowly Lee's head appeared, rising up from his hiding place right under the window.

Lee flashed an embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry, Mrs. West. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Startle me? You nearly scared me half to death! Now I see what Amanda was talking about."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing. Did you get your reports done?"

"Um…yeah. I finished up at the office then went back to my apartment. I...uh…fell asleep on the couch for a little while but I woke up and couldn't sleep, and I thought maybe Amanda couldn't either so I…well…I decided to, uh, come over and, uh, check on things. Make sure everyone is okay."

"Oh, we are. And since you're here, I have a bone to pick with you," Dotty said, putting her hands on her hips.

"What's that?"

"You know, when a man decides to marry, it's customary for him to ask his intended's parents for their blessing. Since Amanda's father has passed, that leaves me, and I don't remember having that conversation with you."

The color drained from Lee's face as he looked down. "So Amanda told you, huh? I'm sorry Mrs. West—"

Dotty broke in. "Lee, I told you earlier, let's do away with this 'Mrs. West' business. Just call me Dotty. Especially now that you're my son-in-law."

Lee looked back up and smiled. "Okay. Well, Dotty, I guess you can see by now that nothing about our relationship has been customary."

"Well, now's your chance to make it right."

"Here? Right now?"

"Do you have a better time in mind?" Dotty crossed her arms and waited expectantly.

"Okay." He drew in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. His voice shook a little as he said, "Dotty, your daughter is my partner, and my best friend. And she's the smartest, bravest, most beautiful woman I've ever known. I would like to ask for your blessing on our marriage. I promise that Amanda will never want for anything, and that I will love her with all my heart. Forever."

Dotty regarded Lee with a glare, but she was unable to maintain the mock sternness and broke out in a broad smile. "Lee, I'm just thrilled. Congratulations!" She reached through the window and Lee grasped her hands.

Lee said, "Thank you. I'm so happy to be part of your wonderful family."

"Our family, Lee. Our family." Dotty patted Lee's hand and pulled away from the window, smiling. Lee gestured toward the steps. "So, I guess Amanda's gone to bed, huh?"

"She has. You just missed her, as a matter of fact. Neither one of us could sleep, so we both ended up in the kitchen, and we talked for awhile. We have lots more to discuss, but I think we both feel a little better."

Silence descended upon the two, neither knowing what to say next. Lee finally broke the awkward silence.

"Well, it's late and I guess I'd better go. Tell Amanda I'll be back in plenty of time for Jamie to get home. Hope you can sleep." Lee turned to leave. Dotty called after him.

"Lee, where do you think you're going?"

Lee looked at Dotty, confused. "I'm headed back to my apartment to try to get some rest. I think we have a big day ahead of us."

"Lee, Amanda needs to see you. She's had a very difficult day and she missed you terribly tonight."

Lee's brow furrowed in concern. "Is she okay?"

"I may not know everything that's gone on over the past few years, but I know my daughter." Dotty paused. "She told me about your disagreement tonight."

Lee blushed. "Oh. Yeah. Well, Dotty, it's just that I'm so tired, and I'm tired of not being with Amanda…with all of you…all the time. It's frustrating, but I just don't know how to fix it."

"Well, I think Amanda and I started to formulate a little plan. She can tell you about it tomorrow. But come on in the house. Amanda needs you. You're both worn out and I'll bet you will get a much better night's sleep together rather than apart anyway."

"Uh…well…what about Phillip? Won't he ask a lot of questions? How will we explain why I stayed the night?"

"Lee, Phillip is a teenager. And like most of them, he sleeps the sleep of the dead. He won't be up until at least late morning. If you're down here when he gets up, he'll just think you came over early. And besides, aren't you supposed to be some kind of great spy? Trained to avoid the KGB and all that?"

"Um…well…yeah…"

"Well, then, if he does get up earlier, I'm sure you can figure out a way to sneak out of a bedroom," Dotty teased. "Now stop being ridiculous and meet me at the back door."

Lee smiled. "Are you sure?"

"Of course, Darling."

Lee worked his way down the familiar path to the back door. When he got there, Dotty was waiting for him. She hugged her new son-in-law. "Go on up. She'll be so glad to see you."

"Good night, Dotty. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Lee." Dotty watched him as he headed toward the steps. "Oh, Lee?"

Lee stopped and turned. "Yes, Ma'am?" he replied softly.

"What made you pick Amanda out of the crowd at the train station?"

"Wow, you two talked about a lot, didn't you?" He thought for a moment, and then he smiled. "I don't know. It's hard to describe. I saw her and for some reason I just knew she was the one to help me."

"Mmm-hmm, that's what I thought," Dotty said, with a satisfied nod.

"Huh?"

"Never mind," Dotty replied. "Now go on," she added with a wave of her hands.

Lee shrugged and started for the steps again.

Under her breath, Dotty said, "I told Amanda it was love at first sight." She stood for a moment with her eyes closed, and thanked the heavens above for bringing such a wonderful man into her daughter's life, no matter how it happened. She then turned, locked the back door, and began turning off the downstairs lights.

Lee quietly ascended the stairs and silently opened Amanda's bedroom door. He stood for a moment and watched the steady rise and fall of her chest. He marveled at how his heart always leapt in his chest when he saw Amanda. He stepped into the room and quietly closed the door, then worked his way around to the other side of the bed. He removed his jacket and shirt, then slipped out of his sneakers and removed his jeans. He eased himself onto the bed and lay down behind Amanda. He put his arm around her side and reached for her right hand. She sleepily muttered, "Mmmm…Lee…." as she snuggled back into him. Lee smiled and kissed the side of her neck. "Sleep tight, Mrs. Stetson. I'm here now. Forever." He relaxed, just listening to her steady breathing, and in no time he was fast asleep as well.

* * *

Cindy Brown shifted in her chair. She didn't understand what was going on but nothing seemed quite right. It was as if she were looking at the world through a prism.

"What's your name?"

"Clarice Stone."

"Where are you from?"

"Pittsburgh."

"Tell me who your master is."

"Caleb Bryton."

"And who do you represent?"

"The Bryton Lyon Brotherhood."

"And what is The Brotherhood's mission?"

"To go out into the world and spread the Brotherhood's love."

"How do you do this?"

"By doing what men tell me to do."

"What will you do?"

"Anything. Love is the most important thing. Acts of love are essential to the mission of the Brotherhood."

Brent turned to Caleb. "She's ready."

"Are you sure it's not just the drugs? It seems awfully automatic to me. Robotic, even."

"She's ready, trust me." Brent motioned to a small bag of powder sitting on the table. "We'll send these drugs with her. I'll leave it with her instructions and tell the buyer it's a supplement she needs every day. Once it runs out, she'll be complete." Brent paused. "We can't wait any longer, Caleb. The buyer is expecting the shipment, and we really could use the funds."

Caleb sighed. "Okay. The two of you will leave tomorrow. Is her fake passport ready?"

"It is."

"Very well."

* * *

Daylight spilled into Amanda's bedroom. She stirred into half-consciousness, and smiled as she remembered the most wonderful dream she had. In the dream, Lee had quietly entered the bedroom and had lain down behind her, putting his arm around her and holding her hand. He had whispered something in her ear. 'That dream is probably why I slept so well,' Amanda thought. 'It was so real I can even feel Lee's hand in mine.' She gave the imaginary hand a squeeze. From behind her, Amanda heard, " 'Manda". Her eyes popped open. Now fully awake, she realized the hand she thought was a remnant of her dream was real. She turned slightly to see Lee peering at her through sleepy eyes.

"Lee!" Amanda whispered as she rolled over to face him. "How did you get in here? I hope you didn't climb up that rickety trellis again! Never mind, we need to get you out of here!" Amanda tried to sit up, but was pulled back down gently by her husband.

"No, we don't."

"Lee, everybody will be up soon!"

"It's okay." Lee paused. He flashed a sly smile. "I have permission to be here."

"Permission?"

"Yes," Lee said, as he kissed Amanda gently. "In fact, I was practically ordered to your room."

"By Mother?"

Lee kissed her again. "Yes. She was worried about you."

"Oh my gosh," Amanda whispered as she placed her head back on the pillow. "Yesterday really happened," she added as her mind flashing over the previous day's events. They laid side by side in sleepy silence. Finally, Amanda asked, "How did you end up talking with Mother?"

"After our argument, I almost immediately passed out on the couch, but I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I thought maybe you couldn't sleep either, so I drove over. I figured if the lights were on downstairs or in your bedroom I'd see if you were up. Dotty caught me looking in the window over the kitchen sink."

"I'll bet she was none too happy with you," Amanda teased.

"Yeah." Lee paused. He pushed himself up onto his elbow, turning toward his wife. "Amanda…." he started.

"Oh, Sweetheart, it's okay. We were both exhausted and we didn't need to be discussing all that stuff over the phone." She pulled him to her and kissed him lightly. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

"I shouldn't have hung up on you."

"No, you shouldn't have," Amanda half-heartedly admonished. "But let's just move on, okay?"

Lee smiled. "Okay." Then he said, "I don't hear any movement in the house. Think everyone's still asleep?"

Amanda glanced over at the alarm clock. "It's 9. If Phillip doesn't have a reason to get up, he usually sleeps until 10:30 or 11. Mother's an early riser but since we didn't get to bed until so late, she's probably sleeping in this morning."

"Dotty said you two had a good talk last night."

Amanda smiled and nodded. "It was so nice. Mother had a great idea, Lee. She doesn't think we should tell the boys and Joe that we're married. Instead, she suggested we go through a public engagement, and then have another ceremony. Something simple. We could do it sooner rather than later, once the dust settles from yesterday." Amanda caressed Lee's cheek. "I know it's not as quick as you'd like, Sweetheart, but I think it will work out better this way. What do you think?"

Lee thought for a moment. Then he broke out in a charming grin. "I think it sounds great! It buys us more time to get the lay of the land with Phillip and Jamie, and to find out what the repercussions at the Agency will be."

"Good! I thought you'd like it." They smiled at each other.

Lee sighed. "Well, I guess we'd better go on and get up. We can beat Phillip downstairs and I can move my car from the side street to the front of the house." He started pulling the covers aside.

"Wait a minute!" Amanda said as she pulled Lee back towards her. "It's not every morning that I wake up to find the most handsome man in the world in my bed." She planted a passionate kiss on his lips. "We've got some time. Besides," she said playfully, "we're spies. We've gotten out of worse jams than this."

"That's what your mother said," Lee replied as he moved in for another kiss.

* * *

Joe was reading the paper at the kitchen table when he heard Jamie come down the steps.

"'Morning, Dad. Where's Carrie?"

"She decided to go on into work for awhile." In reality, after the previous day's crisis Carrie had decided to work from home, but she had suggested she leave for awhile, thinking Jamie might be more talkative with his dad if they were alone. "How did you sleep?"

"A lot better after you told me Phillip and Mom were safe. But there's still a lot I don't understand."

"You want to talk about it?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Are you hungry? You didn't eat much dinner last night."

"A little."

"Why don't you grab a bowl of cereal, then we'll talk."

Jamie fixed a bowl of Crunchy Crawlers with just a little milk. He came back to the kitchen table and sat down.

"Where do you want to start?"

Jamie thought for a moment. "Dad, what I don't understand is if being a spy puts Mom and all of us in danger, why does she keep doing it? I mean, I understand that she wants to help people, and it sounds like she does important work, but aren't there safer things she could do? You work to help others, but your job isn't that dangerous."

"Well, Son, I don't know for sure, but knowing your mom, I can guess. Your mom has never backed away from something she thinks is really important. She wants to make the world a safer place for everyone she loves. Your mom has done a lot of good things for a lot of people. So her job has meaning for her."

"But I still don't understand. I know she loves us, but Phillip and I weren't safe yesterday."

"I know, Jamie, and part of that is because you guys didn't know to be on the lookout for trouble. You know, your mom hasn't been a full-time agent for very long. There would have come a day where she had tell you all of this, when she thought you needed to know about it to protect yourselves. It just came sooner than she thought. But whenever your mom or the Agency has suspected any trouble, you've had security outside your house and your school, watching you and your brother. And your grandma. This was just a kind of…well…an accident, I guess."

"Oh. Well, there's another thing that bothers me. Mom's always telling us it's not right to lie. But she's been lying to us for a long time."

Joe sighed and leaned back in his chair. 'Always the analytical one', Joe thought. He rubbed his eyes and said, "Oh, Jamie, that's a hard one." He sat back up and looked at his son. "Has someone ever told you a secret, something that you know you can't tell anyone? Then you've had to do something to protect that secret?"

Jamie thought for a minute. "Yeah. I was with Grandma when she bought that new video game that Phillip really wanted for his birthday. She was so excited and I knew she wanted it to be a surprise. Then Phillip asked me later that day where Grandma and I had gone, and I told him we went to the hobby shop instead of the electronics store."

"Right," Joe replied. "And that's what your mom's been doing. I know it seems like a double standard, but does that help you understand?"

Jamie smiled. "Yeah, I guess." He ate his cereal in silence, thinking through what his dad had said. "Dad, can I ask you one more question?"

"Jamie, you can ask me anything you want."

"I kinda figured that Lee was a cop or something. I could see that. But the piece I couldn't fit was how Mom played into it. I mean, Dad, she's not what I think of as a spy. What makes her good at her job?"

Joe smiled. "Your mom's a smart lady. She's good at figuring things out."

"I just can't see her running around with a gun and shooting at people, or fighting like I've seen Lee do."

"Your mom has always been good at figuring things out. You know, puzzles and things like that. There's more to being a good federal agent than just fighting with people." He put his hand on Jamie's shoulder. "I know it's a lot to get used to, Jamie. Just give it some time, and give your mom the benefit of the doubt, okay? When we get to the house, make sure you ask her anything you want. Try not to clam up on her."

"Okay."

Joe looked at his watch. "It's almost 11. I told your mom we'd be in Arlington about noon with some sandwiches. You ready?"

"Yeah. For once, I'm going to be glad to see Phillip."

Joe laughed. "Go get your stuff together."

* * *

Lee and Amanda quietly moved down the steps. Dotty was sitting in the family room, sipping a cup of coffee. "Good morning, you two," she whispered. "Phillip's not up yet."

"I'm going to get my car and pull it around to the front of the house," Lee said softly. He kissed Amanda on the cheek and said, "I'll be right back." He slipped out the back door.

Dotty looked at Amanda questioningly. She shrugged and replied, "Habit."

Amanda went into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. She also poured one for Lee and fixed it the way he liked it. She picked up her cup and returned to the family room. "How did you sleep, Mother?"

"Very well. Our talk helped me a lot. How about you?"

"I slept better than I have in a long time. Thanks for getting Lee to stay," she said quietly, with a slightly embarrassed smile.

"Amanda, the man IS your husband. Even though your marriage is still a secret, I respect it. Have you had a chance to talk with Lee about what we discussed?"

"Yeah, a little. But we pretty much just…uh…woke up and…um…came downstairs."

"Mmmm," Dotty replied with a nod and a knowing smile.

"Mo-ther!" Amanda exclaimed, completely embarrassed.

Just then there was a knock at the front door. Amanda got up and opened the door for Lee. He walked in holding the envelope Billy had given him the night before. "Hi," he said brightly, giving Amanda a kiss. "How are you this morning?"

Amanda rolled her eyes at his mock greeting and said, "I'm terrific, Sweetheart." Then under her breath, she added, "There's a cup of coffee waiting for you in the kitchen." She looked down at the envelope Lee was carrying. "What's this?"

"Pictures from Billy. They're from the party where Cindy Brown was last seen. He said you'd been waiting for them."

"Thanks," she said as she took the envelope.

Lee retrieved his coffee from the kitchen and joined his wife and mother-in-law in the family room. He sat down on the couch next to Amanda. She reached forward and picked up the newspaper from the coffee table. "Let's see what's going on today," she said as she leaned back. Lee scooted closer and started reading the paper as well.

Dotty watched the couple with a new perspective. She remembered the previous night, when she observed them in their office, so comfortable with each other even there, in the middle of a crisis. She had considered how close they seemed, and how she had always thought there was a deeper connection than their supposedly new relationship would indicate. 'They go together so well', Dotty thought. 'I couldn't have wished for a better man to grace Amanda's life'. She smiled and sighed contentedly.

Lee and Amanda looked up. "What?" Amanda asked.

"Oh, nothing. I'm just so happy for you two," Dotty gushed.

Just then, they heard a door open upstairs, then feet thudding down the steps. "Hey, everybody," Phillip said as he entered the family room. "Hi, Lee, when did you get here?"

"Uh, a while ago. How'd you sleep, Chief?"

"Great! But I'm starving. Did you bring any doughnuts?"

Amanda replied, "No, and you don't need doughnuts anyway. Your dad and Jamie will be here in a few minutes, and they're bringing sandwiches."

"Cool!" He plopped down on the couch next to Lee. "So Lee, you promised to show me some rad fight moves. You up for it today?"

"'Rad fight moves?'" Dotty questioned. "What happened to plain old English?"

Amanda cut in. "Let's see how this afternoon goes. You know, we all still have a lot to talk about."

"Oh, Mom. I have a few questions, but I'm cool. I'm glad I finally know what's going on."

Lee nudged Phillip. "Don't worry, Sport, we have plenty of time. I'm not going anywhere," Lee said, tossing Amanda a wink and a smile.

The front door opened, and Joe and Jamie walked in with bags of sandwiches and chips. "Hey everybody, we're here," Joe called out. They walked into the kitchen and set the bags down, then entered the family room. Jamie walked over to Phillip. They high-fived, then, in an uncommon move, the young brothers hugged. Jamie said, "I'm glad to see you, Phillip. Thanks again for helping me get out of that car yesterday."

"It's good to see you too, Brother."

Jamie turned to Amanda. "Hey, Mom," he said, looking at his feet.

"Hi, Sweetheart," she put her hand under Jamie's chin and raised his face to meet hers. "Is everything okay?"

Jamie smiled. "Yeah, I guess."

Dotty stood. "Well, why don't we all go ahead and eat? Then we can come back in here and talk."

The group entered the kitchen and distributed sandwiches, then ate in relative silence. Amanda hadn't realized how hungry she was until she started eating, and then remembered it had been since lunchtime the day before that she'd had anything substantial. Once they'd finished and the remnants of lunch were cleaned away, they grabbed their drinks and headed back into the family room.

"Well," Amanda started, "I'm sure you fellas have some questions, and I'll answer what I can. But I just wanted to start out by saying that I love you both very much, and that I'm sorry for not being truthful to you, or to your grandma. I want you to understand that my intent was never to deceive you. I wanted to protect you, so I couldn't tell you anything. Keeping my job from all of you has been very difficult in all sorts of ways."

Phillip said, "You know, Mom, Jamie kinda had a lot of this figured out already, at least about Lee. But the part I don't get is how you got to be a spy. I mean, I thought you were just a mom. Have you always been a spy too?"

"Well…" Amanda began, but Lee put his hand on her knee, stopping her.

"Um, Amanda, I'd like to answer that question, if it's okay with you."

Amanda smiled. "Go ahead," she replied.

Lee leaned forward and addressed Phillip and Jamie. "One night about four years ago, I was working undercover on an assignment that involved getting some information that would save some agents' lives. I was supposed to get the information from one person, and pass it off to someone else. But I was discovered, and some men started chasing me. I ran from them all night long. I managed to get to the train station, where I was supposed to meet the man who needed the information. When I got there, the men were hot on my tail, and there was no way for me to get on the train and give the man the package I had with me. So I started trying to figure out what to do. I looked around and I saw your mom walking through the crowd of people, and something just told me that she could help me out. So I asked her if she would help me, and she did." He looked at Amanda, and added, "It's the best thing I've ever done." He looked back at Phillip and Jamie. "You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because your mom is the best partner, and the best friend, I've ever had. I'm very lucky to have her in my life. I know it's hard for you to imagine your mom as a federal agent, but trust me when I say she's very good at her job."

Jamie asked, "But isn't she always in danger? Aren't all of us in danger?"

"Well," Lee sighed, "it's true that knowing our secret puts you at more of a risk. It's the reason we didn't want any of you to know any more than you absolutely needed to know. But I've been watching out after both of you, and your grandmother, before any of you even knew me. Your safety has always been my priority. Plus, now that you know all of this, I'm going to make some suggestions for keeping all of you safer."

"Like what?" Phillip asked.

"For starters, I insist that you all learn some basic self-defense. Then, we'll do some training on what to watch out for in your surroundings, so what happened yesterday doesn't happen again. Both of those are good things for anyone to know. And finally, I think we should have the house outfitted with an Agency security system. Several of our active agents' homes have one, and they're very reliable and effective. And then, once I'm here-" Lee stopped short before he finished the sentence with the words 'full-time'. He smiled, looked at Amanda and added, "Well, there's more we're going to do, but that will work for now."

"Cool!" Phillip exclaimed.

Amanda looked at Jamie, who was looking down at the floor, his brow furrowed in concern. "Jamie," Amanda said softly, "it's all going to be okay." He continued looking at the floor. Amanda looked up at Joe questioningly.

Joe said, "Jamie, don't you have some questions for your mom?" Jamie looked up at his dad. Joe said, reassuringly, "It's okay, Son. Go ahead."

Jamie looked back down at the floor. "Mom…well…It's just that…um…I don't understand why you keep doing this job if it's so dangerous. I'm afraid something's gonna happen to you."

"Oh, Sweetheart," Amanda said. She scooted toward Jamie and put her arms around him. "The work I'm doing helps people out. I feel like I'm making a difference. And part of the reason I do it is because of you fellas. In whatever little way I can, I want to make the world safer for you." She hesitated, weighing her words. "I wish I could tell you it's not dangerous sometimes. But I've had a lot of training. Plus, I haven't been hurt yet. And what Lee said is true, I'm going to be even safer now because we'll all look out for each other. Right?"

"Yeah," Jamie said with a little smile. "That's kinda what Dad said." They hugged.

Amanda looked over Jamie's shoulder at Joe, and mouthed the words "Thank you, Joe." He winked and nodded.

They parted, and Amanda said, "It's all going to be all right, Jamie. I promise. Okay?"

"Okay," Jamie answered.

Phillip spoke up. "So, Mom, do you carry a gun and stuff?"

'Here comes the onslaught', Amanda thought. "Well…" she began.

Lee and Amanda spent the next hour answering some questions and dodging others, mostly from Phillip, who listened enthusiastically to the new-found information. Throughout the interrogation, Amanda watched Jamie, who sat quietly, processing everything he heard. Finally Phillip ran out of questions.

"There's one more thing I want to tell all of you," Amanda said. "Fellas, remember when we went to the American History museum a few months ago, and we toured that special World War Two exhibit?"

Both boys nodded.

"Remember that poster that said 'Loose Lips Sink Ships'? You even asked me what it meant, Jamie."

"Yeah, I remember. I thought it was kinda funny because I couldn't figure out how someone's lips could sink a ship," Jamie said.

"Well, the same goes here. I know this is all new to you, and you might be tempted to talk to your friends about it. But it's very important that you keep all of it to yourself. And it's for the same reasons that I didn't tell any of you for so long. It's to keep us all safe. If you want to talk, you need to choose someone who's in this room right now. But no one else. As far as anyone is concerned, I work for IFF. 'Loose lips sink ships'. Just remember that. Okay?"

Dotty, Jamie and Phillip all replied in the affirmative.

"Fellas, could you give me a minute with your dad?"

"Sure thing, Mom," Phillip said. "C'mon, Jamie. I'll tell you all about what happened last night." The boys went upstairs.

"Joe," Amanda began, "I'm really so sorry the boys got all caught up in this. It was never my intention."

"I know, Amanda. I have to admit, I don't like it. As I told you when I found out about your new life, I wish you'd pick a safer job, because I worry about you and the boys. But I do feel better now, knowing that you're going to be putting in some additional security here." He turned to Lee. "And I'm also glad you're going to give them some pointers. I mean, you've done a great job with Amanda." He looked back at his ex-wife and smiled proudly.

"Thanks," Lee said. He tried desperately to hide his jealously at the way Joe was looking at his ex-wife. "Like I said yesterday, Joe, I'll do everything I can to make sure nothing happens to any of them."

"And Joe," Amanda said, "Thanks for supporting me with Jamie. It means a lot."

"Amanda, I can't say that I'm really enthusiastic about your choice of career, but I would never be anything but supportive of you with our sons, just like you've been with me."

Dotty watched Lee's growing tension with the exchanges between Joe and Amanda. She decided to help Lee out a little by changing the subject. "Amanda," she said as she stood, "I'm going to the store. I want to make a special dinner tonight for you and the boys. It's been awhile since we've all had a good, home cooked meal."

Joe stood as well. "Yeah, I guess I'd better head back to Alexandria. Carrie should be home by now."

"Walk me out?" Dotty asked.

"Sure," Joe replied. While Dotty grabbed her purse, Joe gave Amanda a hug and kiss on the cheek, then shook Lee's hand. "Lee, thanks again for finding Phillip. I owe you one."

Lee bristled but smiled. "Sure thing, Joe."

Dotty returned to the family room with her purse and keys. He and Dotty headed for the front door. Joe called up the steps, "Hey boys, I'll see you two on Friday, okay?"

Phillip and Jamie called back, almost simultaneously, "See ya, Dad." "Okay, bye."

Lee and Amanda heard the front door close, and were almost immediately in each other's arms. They hugged tightly. Lee said, "Well, that went about as well as I think it could."

"Yeah," Amanda sighed. "I'm still worried about Jamie, though."

"But you already knew that was coming. You said last night that we would probably have to go through another 'cold shoulder' period with him."

"I did. But that doesn't make it any easier."

"I hear ya," Lee replied, pulling back to look at Amanda. "I love you so much." He bent down slightly and they shared a tender kiss.

"I love you too, Sweetheart."

Just then they heard Phillip and Jamie coming down the steps. Amanda and Lee both smiled, kissed once more, then separated. "Say guys," Lee said as Phillip and Jamie came into view. "How about we go out in the back yard? It's a nice day, and we can start on those self-defense lessons I was talking about."

"Sounds great!" Phillip said.

"I guess so," Jamie said, much less enthusiastically.

"C'mon, let's go." The three headed out the back door.

Amanda sat back down on the sofa, leaned her head back and closed her eyes. Relief mixed with a lingering uncertainty as she thought about the events that had transpired over the last 24 hours. She sat back up, and looked down at the envelope of pictures Lee had dropped off. 'Now that my family knows what I really do, I guess it's okay for me to do some of my non-classified work at home now. That will be a nice change,' she thought as she opened up the envelope. She pulled out the small stack of candid party pictures and laid them out on the coffee table. She picked up the first one and began to study it. "Where are you this time, Cindy?" Amanda wondered to herself.

TO BE CONTINUED…..


	3. Chapter 3

"Amanda? Could you grab this?" Dotty called from the back door, arms filled to the brim with grocery bags.

"Sure, Mother," Amanda said as she jumped up from the couch and met her mother at the back door. She took one of the bags from her arms and carried it to the counter. "You should have gotten the fellas to help you with these."

"They offered, but it looked like they were having fun fighting with Lee, so I told them we'd handle it."

Amanda smiled and said, "Why don't you start putting these away and I'll go get the rest."

She walked outside and across the back yard. Lee was using Phillip to show Jamie what to do if someone were to grab him from behind. Jamie saw Amanda, said something to Lee and Phillip, and then trotted toward her.

"Hey Mom, You need some help with the groceries?"

"Sure, Jamie, but I don't want you to miss any of your lesson."

"Yeah…well…Phillip's really into it but…"

Amanda decided it was best not to push him. "Okay, maybe it's time for a little break. Here," she said, handing a bag to him, "take this and I'll grab the other one. Thanks." She closed the hatch on the Wagonneer and they headed back across the yard. Lee looked at Amanda questioningly. Amanda grimaced and shook her head slightly. Lee, clearly disappointed, resumed his work with Phillip.

They walked into the kitchen and placed the bags on the counter. Jamie shuffled into the family room while Dotty and Amanda looked on. He plopped down on the couch.

"Not going so well, huh?" Dotty asked softly.

Amanda sighed. "No, Mother. I'm kinda worried about him."

"Don't be. You know Jamie, just give him some space. He'll come around."

Amanda helped Dotty put the rest of the groceries away, then returned to the family room and sat back down on the couch. Jamie had picked up one of the pictures Amanda had placed on the coffee table. "Mom, who are these people? Some of your spy friends?"

"No. I'm not really sure who they are."

"Then why are you looking at them?"

"It's for work, Sweetheart." She watched Jamie looking at the picture, and an idea struck her. 'After all, this isn't classified', she thought. "Um…would you like to help me out?"

"I guess," Jamie answered, trying not to sound interested. "What do you want me to do?"

"Okay, you see this lady?" Amanda asked, pointing out a picture with Cindy Brown in it.

"Yeah."

"Well, her name is Cindy. She's missing and I've been assigned to look for her. The last time she was seen was at a party where these pictures were taken. I'm looking for clues as to where she might be. Some of the people I work with have already been over these, so I'm looking for things that aren't really obvious."

"Hm," Jamie said. He looked at the picture a minute longer. "Hey Mom, would it be okay for me to get my photography stuff out? I have some magnifiers that might help. They're up in my room."

"Sure, Jamie. That would be very helpful."

Jamie bounded up the steps.

From the kitchen, Dotty said, "I think you might have gotten his attention."

Amanda turned and smiled at her mother. "May-be."

Jamie re-entered the family room with his box of photography equipment. He opened the box and pulled out a proof magnifier. He placed the picture in front of him and bent over, placing the magnifier on the print. Amanda smiled and took a magnifying glass from the kit. She picked up a picture and began to look as well.

"So what am I looking for?" Jamie asked.

"Just anything that gives us some kind of clue as to who the rest of these people might be. It's been my experience that you'll know it when you see it."

Jamie finished up with the first picture and set it aside. He chose another from the table and placed it in front of him. After a few minutes, he said, "Hey Mom, check this out."

"What is it, Jamie?" Amanda asked as she scooted closer to look at the picture.

"See this man? He's got his arm around the lady's shoulder."

"Yeah?"

"Look at that ring he's got on. It's really different-looking."

Amanda looked through the magnifier Jamie was using on the picture. The ring was large, and seemed to have some sort of insignia Amanda didn't recognize. Amanda leaned back. "Jamie, can you make out what those letters are?"

He bent over once again. "Looks like….a….um….B…and maybe an…L?" he said hesitantly. "With some sort of head between them."

"Yeah, it does." Amanda thought for a moment. She got up and walked to the phone. She pushed a few numbers and said, "Hello, Mr. Aquinas. It's Amanda King." She listened for a moment. "Oh, you heard, huh? Yes Sir, a lot of excitement last night but everybody's okay." She listened for a few seconds longer. "Yes, we finally got Gregory, and thank you for the compliment, Sir. Um, Mr. Aquinas, are you somewhere that I can bring something for you to see? It's to help me find Cindy Brown." She smiled. "Yes, she's missing again. So where are you?" She wrote down a name. "Thank you, Mr. Aquinas, see you in a few minutes." Amanda hung up the phone. "Hey Jamie, would you gather up those pictures and put them back in the envelope?"

"Sure thing, Mom."

Amanda walked to the back door then out into the yard, toward Lee and Phillip.

"Hey Lee, I'm going to meet T.P. and show him one of these pictures. I think Jamie might have found something that will give us a clue."

He let Phillip out of the headlock he had on him. "You want me to go along?"

"Nah, you and Phillip stay here and practice. Jamie and I have this one," she said with a wink and a smile.

Lee winked back. "Okay, be careful."

"We will. See you guys in a little while."

She walked back into the house. "C'mon, Jamie, there's someone I want you to meet."

"I'm going with you?"

"Sure! You found the ring, let's go figure out what it is and where it might lead us."

"Amanda," Dotty called from the kitchen. "Are you two going to be back in time for dinner?"

"Of course, Mother. This is just information-gathering."

Dotty rolled her eyes. Under her breath, Dotty muttered, "I know what _'just'_ usually means. It means you _just _won't be home for dinner."

Amanda turned to Jamie and said, "Gather up your photography supplies and take them back up to your room." She then turned to the kitchen and added, "What was that, Mother?"

"Can't this wait until tomorrow? I mean, you've been working for days on end, Amanda!"

"Mother, this young woman is missing. We don't think anything bad has happened to her because it's happened before. But we need to find her. When we're working a case, once we find a potential lead, we have to jump on it."

"Well, that makes sense. Are you sure it's…um…okay to take Jamie?"

"We're only going to meet with someone and show him a picture. This girl pulls a disappearing act every couple of months. It'll be all right. I promise."

Jamie came back down the steps. "I'm ready, Mom."

"Okay, then, let's go."

* * *

Amanda pulled into a parking space in front of T.P. Aquinas' usual hangout, Two Scoops Ice Cream. She turned off the Wagonneer's engine.

"Um, Mom, are you hungry?"

Amanda turned to Jamie and said, "Not really. Why?"

"Well, I was just wondering what we're doing here."

Amanda smiled. "This is where we're meeting Mr. Aquinas."

Jamie looked disappointed. "Oh. I was hoping we were going to your work. Phillip was telling me about it. I kinda wanted to see it," he added, trying not to sound interested.

"Mr. Aquinas doesn't work for the same people I do. He's more of a….consultant, I guess. Let's go see what he has to say about what you found in that picture."

Amanda and Jamie ordered some ice cream. Since it was a nice fall day, T.P. was sitting outside. Amanda and Jamie walked up to his table. "Hello, Mr. Aquinas."

"Well, good afternoon, Mrs. King," T.P. smiled. "I see you decided to leave Scarecrow to his own devices and have acquired a new partner today."

"This is my son, Jamie. Jamie, this is Mr. Aquinas."

T.P. held out his hand. "T. Percival Aquinas. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, young Master King."

Jamie shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Sir."

T.P. chuckled. "A chip off the old block, indeed! Please, please, be seated. You will enjoy your delightful treats ever so much more once you are able to relax. Now, what did you bring for inspection?"

Amanda removed the picture from her purse. "As I mentioned on the phone, Mr. Aquinas, we're looking for Cindy Brown…_again_," Amanda said. "Jamie was helping me look through some pictures from the last place she was seen, and he found this," Amanda said as she pointed to the ring in the picture.

T.P. took the picture from Amanda and held it close to his face. His jovial expression changed to a scowl. "Hm."

"Do you recognize it?" Jamie asked.

Amanda placed a hand on Jamie's arm and said, "Sweetheart, let Mr. Aquinas study the picture for a minute."

T.P. set the picture down. "I don't have to study it. I know what it is." He looked at Jamie. "You say you found this?"

"Yes, Sir."

T.P. smiled and nodded. "Very good observation skills, young man. Very good." He turned to Amanda. "Mrs. King, this is the insignia of the Bryton Lyon Brotherhood."

"Who are they?" Amanda asked.

"No one is really certain. They're very secretive. The Brotherhood was formed in the 1960's as an alternative religious sect, led by one Caleb Bryton. Membership is very exclusive. They have supposed offshoots of the sect all over the world. But—" T.P. paused and gestured toward Jamie with an awkward glance.

Amanda smiled. "Go ahead, Mr. Aquinas."

"Well…there's been a rumor over the years that they have been tied to…um…human trafficking."

Jamie looked at his mom, puzzled. "What does that mean, Mom?"

"It's like modern-day slavery," Amanda replied quietly, remembering her own run-in several years ago with a sinister group who had captured and planned to sell her.

"Oh." Jamie paused, and then added, "Mr. Aquinas, how do they get people to agree to that?"

T.P. regarded Jamie, and then glanced at Amanda once again. She closed her eyes and nodded her consent. "They don't, my dear boy. It's rumored that the Brotherhood ingratiates themselves with impressionable young adults, usually women, under the auspices of enlightenment. Then they surreptitiously use brainwashing, and, more recently, mind-altering drugs, to subdue their targets. If the victim's family finds out about their loved one's association with the Brotherhood, they excuse their bizarre behavior away as new-found religious fervor. But it's all done so secretly, usually the victim's family doesn't find out until after the Brotherhood supposedly sends the new 'follower' out into the world to one of the other rumored sites, to 'spread the word', so to speak. Usually the young women are never heard from again. Over the years, attempts have been made to solidify these suspicions, but so far, no success. The Brotherhood is very good at hiding their activities."

"Do they have a headquarters, or something?"

"Yes, they do. Here in DC, as a matter of fact. Very difficult to get into, though. It's an unassuming house in Georgetown. You'd never know it, except for a larger version of that insignia next to the front door. You'd have no reason to go there unless you were invited or just happened upon it."

"Mr. Aquinas, could I use your phone? I want to call Lee and let him know about this."

"Oh, Mrs. King," T.P. said with disappointment, "I would love for you to, but your call was the last one I was able to take on this battery charge."

"Well," Amanda sighed, "I'll call him from the car. I just wanted you to be handy in case Lee had questions."

T.P. smiled. "Why don't you go make your call, then come back? It will give Jamie a chance to finish his gastronomic delight."

Amanda looked a Jamie. "You okay with that, Sweetheart?"

Jamie nodded. "Sure thing, Mom."

"I'll be right back."

Jamie and T.P. watched Amanda re-enter the ice cream shop, then emerge on the other side. Jamie took another bite of ice cream.

"So," T.P. started, "I hear you and your brother had quite the adventure yesterday, and that you discovered some heretofore unknown truths about your mother."

Jamie looked down into his ice cream. "Yes, Sir." They sat quietly for a moment. "Mr. Aquinas, how long have you known my mom?"

"Oh, I guess it's been almost two years, now. Lee began bringing her along on our meetings once he finally admitted she was his partner." T.P. paused. "So what are your thoughts on this newfound information?"

"Okay, I guess. She's not what I had in mind when I thought of what a spy would be like."

"Well, am I?"

Jamie regarded T.P. with a furrowed brow. "You aren't a spy. Are you?"

T.P. smiled. "Hardly. I merely supply information to intelligence operatives. But would I be someone you'd suspect might do work like this?"

Jamie smiled. "Not really."

"That is precisely what makes your mother so excellent at her job. No one suspects her. And her instincts and personality make a perfect foil for our dashing hero, The Scarecrow," T.P. finished with a dramatic flourish.

Jamie laughed. "That's funny."

"I'm glad you found it so."

"Mr. Aquinas, how did you know all that stuff about the ring? I mean, like, off the top of your head?"

T.P. laughed. "My boy, it's the fruits of a lifetime spent filling my head with a plethora of seemingly useless information that suddenly becomes very useful once asked the proper question."

"I like learning stuff," Jamie said.

"Well, now that we have made each other's acquaintance, we shall plan to meet again and share our knowledge."

"I'd like that," Jamie said as he dug a final scoop of ice cream from his depleted dish.

Just then, Amanda walked across the patio and sat back down at the table. "Mr. Aquinas, do you know the address of this headquarters?"

"I'm not certain of the exact house number, but it's on Benton Street, between 39th and 40th Streets."

"Thank you, Mr. Aquinas. As always, I really appreciate your help."

"Of course, Mrs. King." He smiled and motioned to Jamie. "And bring your new partner along with you anytime."

* * *

Jamie and Amanda closed the Wagonneer's doors and fastened their seatbelts. Amanda started the car and they pulled out into traffic.

"Now what are we gonna do?" Jamie asked.

Amanda tried to suppress a smile as she thought of Phillip's comment about him and Lee from the night before, 'We had it under control'.

"_WE_ are going home. Then I'm going to call this information into my boss, and recommend they put a surveillance team on the street.

"Mom, let's go find the house. Don't you want an address to give your boss?"

Amanda glanced at Jamie, considering the risk level. Deciding there was no harm in a quick drive down the street, she said, "Well, I guess we could give it a try." Amanda pulled the Wagonneer into a parking lot and turned around.

They rode in silence for a moment. "I really liked Mr. Aquinas," Jamie said.

Amanda smiled. "He's a very nice man. And he's been a very good friend to Lee and me."

"He really likes you."

"Yeah? How do you know?"

"He told me. We talked about you while you went to call Lee."

"Oh, you did, did you?"

"Yeah. He said you're really good at your job," Jamie said, a little pride creeping into his voice.

"Well, that's very nice of him to say."

Amanda turned down the street T.P. had mentioned. "I think this is the street," Amanda said quietly. "Now, how do I go about figuring out which house it is?" Amanda saw a parking space and parallel parked the Wagonneer. She put the car in park and looked around at the visible houses. "The insignia will be so small, it will be virtually impossible to see from the street."

"We could get out of the car," Jamie suggested.

Amanda thought a moment, deciding if they should. She looked around again. Safe neighborhood, broad daylight. She determined that there was little, if any, danger. She smiled and looked at Jamie. "Would you like a lesson in surveillance?"

Jamie shrugged. "I guess."

"Well, the first step in a successful surveillance is blending in with the surroundings. So, then, what would be our first step in this surveillance?"

"Um…having a reason to be in the neighborhood?" Jamie offered.

"That's right. Now we just need to figure that out."

Jamie thought a moment. "Hey, Mom, I have an idea." He reached into the glove compartment and pulled out his Junior Trailblazers neckerchief and a thin catalog. "This street looks like it could really use some Junior Trailblazers Peanut Brittle."

Amanda smiled, then reached over and rubbed the top of Jamie's head. "Great plan, Sweetheart!"

Jamie put on the neckerchief while Amanda reached under her seat, feeling for the gun box she knew Lee kept there. She pulled the box out and removed a small firearm. Jamie stopped what he was doing and stared at his mom. Shakily, he said, "Do you think this is going to be dangerous?"

Amanda looked at him and smiled reassuringly. "No, Sweetheart, I don't. And normally I wouldn't take a gun with me on this type of surveillance. But since you're with me, I'm not taking any chances. It's okay."

Jamie nodded. "I understand. It's just different seeing you, like, with a gun, that's all."

"I know it is," she replied. "Sometimes it still feels different for me, too. But I'm sure we won't need it, okay? It's just to be safe."

Jamie smiled and nodded. "It's okay."

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

They got out of the car, and Amanda stuck the gun at the small of her back, in the waistband of her jeans. She and Jamie started down the sidewalk. At the first three houses, no one answered the door, and there was no visible insignia. Between houses, Amanda quietly said, "Now Jamie, it's important that we play our cover. If you see the insignia, don't act like you see it, okay? We're just out here selling peanut brittle".

"I understand, Mom."

They continued down the same side of the street, and saw no insignia for the Bryton Lyon Brotherhood, but did manage to sell four boxes of peanut brittle. Jamie finally saw the insignia as they approached the door of the fourth house on the opposite side of the street. He nudged his mom's arm as if he'd accidentally brushed against her. When he had her attention, he glanced to the right. She followed his glance and looked to the right of the door where the insignia was discretely nailed to the side of the house, then slightly nodded in confirmation. They rang the doorbell. No answer. They rang it again. After a moment, they heard footsteps, and then the door opened.

The woman who answered the door stopped them both cold. Standing in front of them was Cindy Brown. She looked from Amanda to Jamie, then said, "Peace be among us all." Her tone was flat and her eyes vacant.

'She's heavily drugged,' Amanda thought. 'She doesn't even recognize me.' She cleared her throat and said, "Hello, we're here on behalf of Junior Trailblazers Troop 3567." She nudged Jamie.

Jamie took it from there. "Uh, yeah, and it's Peanut Brittle time. You probably know that each year, we raise money by selling our famous Peanut Brittle. We use the money all year long for community projects, and for educational trips. No money is needed today. We place your order, and then collect when we deliver. Would you like a box?"

Through his portion of the pitch, Amanda watched Cindy closely. Cindy listened to Jamie talk, but she didn't really focus on him. 'She's completely out of it,' Amanda thought.

Cindy replied, "I'm sorry, my dear child, but I won't be here much longer. I'm leaving tomorrow to continue my spiritual journey and spread love into the world."

'Oh oh', Amanda thought. 'They have a buyer for her. I need to get her away from here. Soon.'

Jamie innocently replied, "Oh. Well, is there anyone else here who might like to buy some?"

"Not right now," Cindy said quietly. "Everyone has gone out to spread the love. Would you like to come in?" She reached for Jamie's hand.

Amanda broke in. "We'd love to, but we're…uh…not allowed to enter people's homes. But I'd sure like to hear more, and there's a coffee shop down the street. Why don't you come along with us for awhile, then we'll bring you back?"

Cindy's brow furrowed. "Oh, I don't think Brother Bryton would like that very much. He doesn't want me to leave the home until it's time."

'That's because he doesn't want anyone to recognize you,' Amanda thought. 'Think, Amanda, think.' Then aloud she said, "It's okay. I know Brother Bryton."

"You do?"

"Um….yeah….um….my…uh…sister is a disciple of Brother Bryton. She's out on her spiritual journey now."

Jamie picked up the story. "Yeah, Mom, you're talking about…uh…Aunt Sarah…yeah! I've really missed her. I loved hearing her stories about the Bryton Lyon Brotherhood. You think maybe you could tell me some stories, ma'am?"

Cindy smiled. "I sure could! Brother Bryton will be proud that I practiced spreading the love."

Jamie smiled at the young woman and reached out his hand. "Then let's go!"

Cindy's programming kicked in. 'I will do anything a man tells me to do.' "Okay." Cindy took Jamie's hand and she walked out of the house, not even bothering to close the door behind her.

Amanda looked around furtively as they walked away from the house then turned right toward their car. In the distance, she saw a van turn the corner. 'I don't know if that's them coming back, but I'm not going to wait to find out.' She grabbed Cindy's arm and started walking more quickly. They reached the Wagonneer and Amanda unlocked the doors. Cindy was clinging to Jamie's hand, so he climbed into the back seat with her. Amanda jumped in as well, turned the key and gunned the engine. She speeded down the street and took the next right. She looked into the rearview mirror to check on the van. It also made the turn. She speeded up, and the van accelerated also.

"Shoot," Amanda muttered under her breath.

"What's wrong?" Jamie asked.

"We're being followed," Amanda said, catching Jamie's eyes in the rearview mirror. "Help Cindy get her seat belt on, and let me know when you have it secured."

Jamie leaned over Cindy and grabbed the belt. She giggled and said, "Oh, I forgot to put on my seat belt. Thank you, kind sir!"

"You're welcome, ma'am," Jamie replied. He clicked the belt into the buckle. "Got it, Mom."

"Okay, hang on."

Amanda pressed harder on the accelerator, and the Wagonneer jumped forward. The van started to increase its speed as well, but was a little slower to accelerate. Amanda took a hard right. She slowed slightly and checked the rearview. Not seeing the van yet, she took another hard right into an alley she knew was there. Hoping that their pursuers were not experienced in tactics used to lose a tail, she gunned the engine again and sped down the alley. She looked in the mirror and saw the van speed by the mouth of the alley. She closed her eyes in a silent prayer of thanks, then said "It's okay, Jamie. We lost them." She proceeded to the end, then turned back in the direction they had come. She headed toward the Key Bridge which would take them back into Arlington. She had no intention of returning home, but wanted to get out of the Georgetown area for awhile and give the driver of the van time to stop looking for them before they took Cindy back to the Agency.

"Where are we going, Mom? Back home?"

"No, we're going to take Cindy to a safe place."

"I'm sure the coffee shop is very safe," Cindy said dreamily, staring out the window.

Amanda reached for her car's phone and pressed several buttons. She picked up the handset while the phone rang.

Francine answered, "International Federal Film."

"Hey Francine, it's me. Is Mr. Melrose available?"

"He's in a meeting right now. You sound a little out of breath." Concern crept into Francine's voice. "Is everything okay?"

"Well," Amanda sighed, "we found Cindy Brown. And we have a little problem."

"You and Lee? I thought you two weren't working today."

"No, Jamie and I found her."

"What?"

"Never mind, it's a long story. Listen, she's heavily drugged and probably started on a brainwashing protocol. She needs to be hospitalized. This is a new one for me, so what's the procedure?"

"Bring her here to the Agency. We'll have Doc Kelford take a look at her while we contact her family."

"Okay, Francine. I'll let you know when we arrive." Amanda pressed the end button and placed the phone back on its stand.

* * *

"This doesn't look like a coffee shop," Cindy Brown said doubtfully as she, Amanda and Jamie entered the Georgetown foyer. She continued to cling to Jamie's hand.

Jamie, unsure himself, decided to roll with the ruse. "It's a…well…a different kind of coffee shop. C'mon in."

The threesome stopped in front of Mrs. Marston's desk. "Hello, Mrs. Marston. The word is 'baseball'."

"Hello, Mrs. King. Ms. Desmond called and said to expect you." She handed Amanda her pass along with two visitor's passes. "Shall I let her know you've arrived?"

"Thank you, Mrs. Marston, that would be great." She turned to Jamie and said, "Let's get her upstairs, okay?"

They entered the Q Bureau. "Why don't you go ahead and make yourself comfortable there on the couch, Cindy. Would you like something to drink?"

She looked around, still confused with her surroundings. "Where are we?"

Amanda sighed, and sat down next to Cindy. "You're safe, Cindy. You're a little confused, and we're here to help you."

Just then, the door opened and Francine entered. "Well, hello everyone. Ms. Brown, do you remember me?"

"Maybe? I don't know. What's going on?"

Francine looked at Amanda. "You're right. She is exhibiting signs of drugging." Francine bent down and looked into Cindy's eyes. "And maybe early brainwashing," she added. Francine pointed to Amanda. "Do you remember this lady?"

"I thought she looked familiar, but I just don't know. I'm so confused."

"I know you are," Amanda said softly, placing a hand on Cindy's arm. "This is Ms. Desmond. She's going to take you downstairs and have a doctor look at you. Okay?"

She looked over at Jamie, whose hand she still held tightly. "Can he come with me?"

Amanda shook her head and smiled. "Oh, Cindy, I don't think so. Your doctor's visit is going to take quite awhile. But you're safe. You go on with Ms. Desmond. We'll see you soon. Okay?"

"Okay, I guess." She turned to Jamie and smiled. "It is alright for me to go?"

"Sure, you'll be fine," Jamie replied.

Francine took Cindy's arm and led her toward the door. She looked back over her shoulder at Amanda and mouthed the words 'Wait here, I need to talk to you'. Amanda nodded.

The door closed behind them. Amanda looked a Jamie and said, "Thank you for your help, Sweetheart. I don't think she would have come along if it hadn't been for you."

Jamie shrugged. "I don't know what I did."

"Well, for some reason she responded to you. When people are confused, it helps if someone seems familiar to them. Maybe you reminded her of someone."

"Hm." Jamie sat for a moment in thoughtful silence as he took in his surroundings. Then he said, "So, is this your office, Mom?"

"Yeah, mine and Lee's."

"It doesn't look much like, um…well, it looks like I thought it might when I thought you worked for IFF."

"Doesn't look like a spy's office, huh?" Amanda said with a smile

"Not really."

"It's designed to be secret. The real office is downstairs."

Jamie nodded. "Phillip described it all to me. He says there's an elevator that looks like a closet."

"There is."

"That's neat." He sat for a moment more. "Hey, Mom, I need to go to the restroom. Is there one I can use?"

"Sure, Sweetheart. Just turn right after you go out the door and it's down the hallway on the left."

"I'll be right back." He opened the door just as Francine approached.

"Jamie, thanks for your help with Cindy Brown. She talked about what a kind Junior Trailblazer you are all the way down to the doctor's office. She said her brother used to be one."

Jamie smiled and looked back at Amanda, who said, "See? I told you. You never know what's going to touch someone."

"I'll be back in a minute, Mom."

"Okay, Jamie." He shut the door behind him.

"So," Francine started, her trademark smirk firmly planted on her face, "now that you and Lee are married, is espionage going to become a family affair?"

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Of course not, Francine. Jamie just happened to find a clue in one of the pictures Mr. Melrose sent me. I took him along with me to meet Mr. Aquinas. I wanted to take some of the mystery out of my job. He's having a little bit of a hard time with all this."

"Aren't we all?" Francine muttered under her breath.

"What?" Amanda asked.

"Amanda, just how is it that you managed to land Lee Stetson? Practically every available woman in DC has tried to."

Amanda closed her eyes and shook her head. "You just never stop, do you?" She opened her eyes and glared at Francine. "Maybe it's because I was just myself with him, Francine. You, and 'every available woman in DC' should try that sometime. Maybe you'd have some luck for a change."

"Amanda!"

"Listen, we can't talk about this right now. No one in my family knows about it yet, except for Mother. And Jamie will be back in a second. But I will say this. You have given me grief since my first day here. I've tried to figure it out, and I don't know why. But I've had enough of it. I've spent a lot of time with you, and deep down I know you're not the snippy person you portray to the world. So what is it, Francine?"

Francine sighed, and thought a moment, weighing her next words. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm jealous of you," she blurted out as if the statement were a single word.

"Jealous? Of me?" Amanda asked dubiously. "Why?"

"Because from practically the first, I could tell you are comfortable with yourself, and confident in who you are. I've never had that. And, I could tell that you held a spell over Lee. Believe me, I have tried so hard with a bunch of men…including Lee. And my relationships always sour. But here you come, Little Miss Perfect, and land someone like Lee with no effort at all."

"Francine," Amanda said in a slightly embarrassed tone. "Just try being yourself. People will either accept you for who you are or not. And the ones who don't aren't worth fooling with. But if you try to be someone you're not, no one ever will accept you. Including yourself."

The door to the Q Bureau opened and Jamie walked in. Amanda smiled and said, "You ready to go, Sweetheart? I'll bet Grandma's wondering where we are."

"Yeah, I'm getting hungry!"

Amanda turned back to Francine and said, "Thanks for coordinating Cindy's care. Did you make contact with Senator Brown?"

"I did. He was at their home in Texas, but he's on his way here now."

"Great. I'll be back in on Thursday, but if you need me in the mean time, just call, okay?"

"I will. And Amanda?"

"Hm?"

"Congratulations. On finding Cindy. And…well…you know."

Amanda smiled. "Thanks Francine," she said as she watched the woman walk through the doorway. She turned to Jamie and said, "Let's get home. Think how happy your grandmother will be when we get home _just _in time for dinner."

**TWO WEEKS LATER**

Jamie was in his Social Studies class, hanging on to every word the teacher was saying. They had just started studying the history of the Soviet Union. When the topic of the KGB came up, he wanted so badly to tell his fellow classmates that he had encountered the real deal. But he kept it to himself, remembering the 'Loose Lips Sink Ships' mantra his mom and Lee had emphasized. Just then, the classroom door opened and a student worker entered. She handed a note to the teacher. He paused a moment to read the note, then looked up and said, "Jamie King, your mother is here to pick you up."

He wasn't expecting to leave school midday, so he was immediately concerned that something might be wrong. He quickly gathered his belongings and headed for the door. He followed the student worker back down the hallway. Turning the corner, he saw his mom standing there, smiling.

"Hi, Mom. Why are you picking me up early? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Sweetheart. There's someone who wants to see you."

* * *

Amanda and Jamie entered the Q Bureau. Lee was sitting at his desk, visiting with Cindy Brown and an older man, who both stood from the couch when they entered. Surprised, Jamie said, "Hi."

Cindy walked over to Jamie and gave him a hug. "Hi, Jamie. I just wanted to have a chance to thank you for saving me."

"I really didn't do anything," Jamie quietly replied as he looked toward Lee, who was proudly smiling.

Cindy released Jamie from her grip. The older man who had been sitting with her walked over and extended his hand. "Hello, Jamie, I'm Senator Brown, Cindy's father." Jamie shook the man's hand, remembering to offer a firm handshake, just like his dad had taught him. "Your mother told us the story of how you two managed to find Cindy. Thank you so much for rescuing my daughter."

Jamie smiled. "You're welcome. But all I did was notice the ring in the picture."

Senator Brown smiled. "Son, many great things start with something very, very small. Detail is the cornerstone of any investigation."

Lee spoke up. "Cindy, you'll be willing to testify against Caleb Bryton, right?"

"Absolutely," Cindy replied firmly. "I want to see that creep put away for what he almost did to me. And before he has the chance to send another woman off into slavery."

Senator Brown glanced at his watch. "Cindy, you have an appointment at 3 o'clock with Dr. Craft, so I guess we'd better go." He turned to Amanda and Jamie. "Thanks again, both of you. I can't begin to express my gratitude."

"You're welcome, Senator Brown. And Cindy," Amanda added, grasping the young woman's shoulders. "You take care of yourself, and try to stay out of trouble. Please don't pull another disappearing act. This time we almost didn't find you."

"Believe me, I've learned my lesson, Mrs. King. No more trouble here."

"Good to hear." Amanda watched as the Senator and Cindy headed toward the Q Bureau door. "See you later."

Jamie called after them, "It was nice to see you, Cindy, and to meet you, Senator Brown."

They both turned at the sound of the young boy's voice. Senator Brown waved. Cindy smiled and replied, "It was good to see you too. Thanks again." They closed the door behind them.

Amanda put her hand on Jamie's back. "Come on over and sit with me for a minute, okay?" She guided him toward the couch. "Jamie," Amanda started as they sat, "Cindy and Senator Brown wanted to thank you today, and that's why I got you from school. But I wanted you to see, first hand, why I keep doing this job. I enjoy helping people. It's important work."

"And," Lee interjected, "you were instrumental in helping to find Cindy, Jamie. That was really good work."

"Like I said, all I did was notice the ring."

"Jamie, do you know how many trained professionals looked at those pictures before you and your mom reviewed them? All of them missed the ring. Not only did your attention to detail save Cindy from a horrible life, we were probably able to spare many other women from suffering the same fate."

Jamie smiled. "Thanks Lee." He paused for a moment, then turned to Amanda. "Mom?"

"Hm?"

"I just want to say I'm sorry."

Amanda's brow furrowed. "For what, Sweetheart?"

"Well, I'm just sorry that I had a hard time at first with all this. But after you and I went out and found Cindy, I felt better. You were awesome, the way you got away from that van. Then seeing her today, I really do get why you and Lee work here."

"Thank you, Sweetheart," Amanda said softly as she pulled her son into an embrace. "That means a lot."

Jamie pulled back and added, "Today, in Social Studies, we were studying the Soviet Union. And I wanted to tell everyone about what happened to Phillip and me, but I knew I couldn't. And then I thought about how hard it must have been to not tell us any of the things that must've been happening. So…well…I just wanted you to know that I understand. And that I love you, Mom."

"Oh, Jamie," Amanda said, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I love you too." They hugged once more.

Lee smiled as he watched the exchange. He felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

Amanda stood. "Well, I guess I'd better get you home so you can start on your homework. Besides, Grandma's got her book club dinner tonight and I need to get some dinner together."

"Yeah, she will," Jamie said. "Hey Lee, when you come over tonight, can you show me how to do that instep attack again?"

Amanda cut in, "Um…well, Sweetheart…uh…I'm not sure whether Lee is coming over tonight. We haven't had a chance to talk about it."

Jamie looked puzzled. "Well, why wouldn't he be?" He turned to Lee and asked, "Lee, aren't you coming home for dinner?" Jamie caught himself and added, a little embarrassed, "Well, I mean, I guess it's not your _home_, but you know what I mean."

'Home.' Lee loved the sound of that word. Amanda shared a soft smile. "Sure thing, Sport. In fact, I'm pretty much done here, so I'll just follow you two right now." He stepped from around his desk and grabbed his jacket. He walked between Amanda and Jamie, putting one hand at the small of his wife's back and the other around Jamie's shoulder.

Jamie looked up at Lee. "Can I ride with you in the 'Vette?"

Lee smilled. "You can ride with me anytime, Sport."

**THE NEXT DAY**

Lee and Amanda had just settled into a day of paperwork when Lee's phone rang. "Stetson here," he said in a cheerful singsong. Amanda looked up and smiled at her husband, but her smile turned to a frown as she saw Lee sit up at attention, with a serious look on his face.

"Yes, Sir. She's here." A pause. "No, Sir, we only have paperwork today." Another pause. "Yes, Sir, we can be there in a half hour. May I ask the topic?" Lee closed his eyes. "Of course, Sir. See you at 10:30." Lee gently placed the phone back on its cradle.

"Who was that?" Amanda asked.

"It was…uh…the Vice President."

"The Vice President? Of the United States?"

"He wants to see us both in a half hour."

"Why?"

"I asked but he wouldn't say." Lee stood and began to pace. "This isn't good, Amanda. I have a sneaking suspicion this is about us."

"With the Vice President? Surely not, Lee. Wouldn't the issue of our marriage just be handled on the Agency level? Why would he be involved?"

"I don't know," Lee replied, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He grabbed his coat. "But I guess we'd better go find out."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Lee pulled the Corvette up to the Eisenhower Building. Amanda and Lee showed their creds to the guards, who let them through immediately. They walked hand in hand into the building and to the Vice President's office. They waited for a moment, then were shown in by the Vice President's secretary. He met them at the door.

"Hello, Mr. Stetson. Mrs. King. Please, join us." He motioned toward a small conference table on the opposite side of the office. They were surprised to see Billy and Dr. Smyth seated at the table. Lee and Amanda took their seats, nodding a greeting to the two men.

"Well, if it isn't Mr. and Mrs. Scarecrow," Dr. Smyth purred around the filter of his unlit cigarette. The color drained from Lee and Amanda's faces.

The Vice President flashed a warning look at Dr. Smyth, who glared back but said nothing. The Vice President sat as he said, "Oh, I apologize for the slip-up on your name. I've just read so much about you over the years, I've gotten so used to knowing you as Mrs. King."

Amanda's eyes grew wide. "What slip-up?"

"Mrs. Stetson…do you prefer Mrs. Stetson?"

She looked to Lee, and then to Billy, who both gave her reassuring nods "I do, Sir," Amanda answered in a small voice.

"Mr. and Mrs. Stetson, my office has known about your marriage for several months now. We've been keeping an eye on you since March. We've been measuring your performance versus you case records prior to your marriage. And I have to say, your solve percentages have improved over the past few months. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Sir," Lee and Amanda answered almost simultaneously.

"I have been chatting with Melrose and Smyth here, letting them know my thoughts on your continued partnership. If you remember, I was the head of the CIA for several years before being chosen as my boss' running-mate."

"Yes, Sir, we remember," Lee answered quietly.

"You're not the first couple to pull this little trick, you know. And it really is a shame that our agents feel the need to keep personal relationships a secret. But," the Vice President sighed, "that is part of the game we play."

"I guess so," Lee answered cautiously.

"Some partnerships have met with success, such as yours. Others have not. But you must know that, in my opinion, the difference in this situation lies with you, Mrs. Stetson. You have become a formidable agent. You're even better than you know. Your work on the Matryoshka List was exemplary, especially given the personal nature of your family's unfortunate involvement. I was so pleased when everything turned out so well. Then your work with finding Cindy Brown…well…I appreciate that on many levels, the least of which is personal. Thank you."

"So what's going to happen?" Lee asked.

The Vice President smiled. "We will continue to monitor your performance, just as we do with all agent teams. And just like any other partnership, if we perceive a problem, we will address it." He pulled a piece of paper from a folder. "This is a copy of a document I signed earlier today. It acknowledges your personal relationship, and outlines the manner in which you will be evaluated. But as far as this office is concerned, we don't recognize nor do we anticipate any problems in your performance, and you may continue to work together."

Amanda broke out in a broad smile. "Thank you so much, Sir."

"No, Mrs. King…I mean, Mrs. Stetson. Thank you for your dedication to your work. It has not gone unnoticed by me or by the President. And on a personal note, congratulations." He stood and extended his hand, shaking Lee's, and then Amanda's. "Do you have any questions?"

"No, Sir," they both answered, again almost simultaneously.

"Well, then, I'm wanted over at the White House by 11:30. I'll fill the President in on our discussion. Melrose, Smyth, thank you for your input. I appreciate your help."

The small group filed out of the Vice President's office and headed toward the exit. "Well, well, well, Kiddies, I have a meeting upstairs. So I'll be sending you on your way to play as you see fit." In a rare show of affection, he shook Lee's hand, then took Amanda's. "I won't be revealing your clandestine marriage to anyone in or out of the Agency; I'll be leaving that up to you. Have a nice day, Children." Dr. Smyth disappeared up the steps.

Amanda and Lee turned to Billy. Lee grinned and punched Billy in the arm. "You sly devil, you cooked this up, didn't you? Put Dr. Smyth in a situation you knew he couldn't fight."

Billy scowled. "Of course not, Stetson. Dr. Smyth and I were summoned here for a regular meeting to discuss matters of national security. This just happened to be included on the agenda I sent over, under the heading of "Other Personal Business Regarding Agents Under my Supervision." The Vice President called me almost immediately. He already knew what I was talking about, and what the problems would be. He's known Dr. Smyth for years. So the VP was the 'sly devil who cooked this up'." At this, they all laughed.

Amanda chimed in, "Well, anyway, Sir, thank you so much. You'll never know how much we appreciate your friendship. And your support."

Billy smiled. "You're welcome, Mrs….Stetson." He looked back at Lee. "Now that this is resolved, what are your plans for letting everyone know you're married?"

"Another ceremony. This one public. I want everyone to know I'm the luckiest man in the world."

Amanda said, "You know, something simple."

"Simple? With you two? I'll believe it when I see it." Billy chuckled to himself as he walked off, then called back over his shoulder, "I have one more meeting here. See you at the Agency."

Lee and Amanda watched Billy head off to his next meeting. Then they walked, hand in hand, out of the Eisenhower Building and into their future.

THE END


End file.
